News Letter 1941 Jul-Dec - Air Force Historical Studies Office

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Pag"! 

Reorganization of the A:rmy Air Corps - - - - - 1 

P-40 wing is changed in the field - - - .~ - - 1 

Photog:reph of B-19 airplane - - - -- - - - - 2 

~he Big Baby soloed - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 

Brevities from here and there - - - - -- - .~ 4 

Enlisted pilots begin training in Augus1: - - ". 5 

In a "bunpy" !'1~t- - - - - - - - - - - - - - .- 5 

Brazilian officers visit Randolph FieH - - .~ 6 

Cabbage and X-C don tt mix - - - - - - - .- - - 7,-8 

Link Trainers supplied Brooks Field - - - - - 8 

The Air Corps Maintenance CollJlllStld - - - - - - 9 

New Air Corps depots - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 

Baptists provide funds - - - - - - - - - - - ,- 9 

Bombing Tange for Or Lando air base - - - -... 10 

Progress at, Goodfellow field - - - - - - - - 10 

Marshall Field emerges from flood - - - - - - 1.0 

Occupation of Charlotte Air Base - .~ - - -", - W 

Crash trailer at Cal-Ae:ro - - - ,- - - - - - ,- 10 

Sixteen new field.s chr-Lsbened - - - - - -- ,-11-12 

Promotion of Air Corps officers - -- .- --~. ).2 

Maxwell maneuvers beach field dutiei' '.. - ,- - - 1.3 

Colonel Ol.ds Yecai.ve s tI'Cplly - - - - - - - - - ',3 

Tn,e aviation cadet training prog'"r8xn ,,- - - - t4 

Fledgling son of famous fathex- - - - - - - - - - 

Schools added to S.E.A.C. Tra1.ning Center - - - 

En.l~,st,ed ments Retiremen+ Bill signed - - - - - 

FresD!J base £irs+ since CivU Wa:r - - - - - - - 

D8' r elcpment of Gray Fl,e1,d - - - - - _. - - - - 

Safety 'bel ts are really .,aX'>.- - - ,-- - - - - - 

Extensi,'9 £lying "perations at RandolpL. Field - 

Murals at, Scot+. Fie1,d - - -- ,. - - - - - .• - - 

Rest "aD!l in Olympic National Fo:rest .~ - - - - - 

A"... CC)1'ps sct.di.er mns Wsst Pci.n+. Cadetship -- 

Wri.gb!j Fiel.d Lib~,'a7 synibo'l.i.aes Air Corps 

~ 

15 

16 

16 

17 

17 

17 

18 

18 

19 

21 

Development - - - ,- __,0 ,. - - - - - - - - - 22 

Enlisted men t.rain fnl" commissions ,- ,. ,- - - - - 22 

Apprcodma,+e strength .-.f Ar:my Air FC,:l:'ees - - - - 22 

Job of A\T COI'pstjest pila">- ,- - - - - - - - - 23-25 

Thtrty-th-ree uni.+.s transferrE1d -_ .. ~ 25 

Sw\:t,c.h d L'-"wry Field per-sonnel 40 W1,ch1.t,a. Kans 25 

Ins').~'dLl,':l ,'~.- - - - ,. '. - - - - - - •• - - - - - 26-28 

Pat+;.ersn!t Field recruiting suree",sful - - - - - 28 

Celebritiec" a::.aCif' g,-ad;:aticm - -- - - - - - 28 

Cadet attire axhi.btted\:u MAW Yo"k- - - - - - - 28 

Keep OEmFlir1,:og- - - - - - - - - 29 

5i lhrue+:~.es '.~" ,- "< .., .- _. ~ .- - - - - - ,- - - 30 

DISTINGUISmNG MILITARYAIRCRAFT 

ThOlli>ands of ci",Hians are learning 'to da.st ingutsh 

lat,est, Army Air For0es and Navy aircraft; through the 

:"o'JP'3T'atinn of the newspapers with the A'r:tah,on New" 

GOmIfL1.i1:.ee o:f. nhe Ael:'onaut:i.ca1 Chamber of CommeX'('e"f 

AmeT:1,("a~ 

,'" 

Ine,,'U'h issue of Aviation News Feat1J ..1."es~ pub Li",hed 

by the Cozrnuj.t,tee. there is -a,;nabfe +0 + e new?p8p~ 

ers silhouettes d: a la:e md.s1. mi.Litarv :;l.i,-r:pJa!li"., 

One of toh", :"ec~t ones is c;hat.j" ".he Martin B~2.6 

"£ly1.ng to-r:pedo" bomber , whichLs rep:~'oduc;ea. on the 

back cover of th:l.s iss'l)'7. of TEE AIR COBPS NEWS 

LETTER. 

"Des c:db ed by ",+,5 deslgt1.e~s as faste:t t-han mus'. nf 

":,he Pursuf.t: ships nr:JW £i.ghtin~ in EUTcpe." sa;ys~h'" 

accomp&Vi.ng t est, "the :B-26 is the U.S, Ai,? C.p'! 

newest and mcst advanced. bomber. Thl.s product '.f 

the Glenn L. Martoin Company is stl"ikJ.ng proof o:fi;h,.) 

Ameri.can aircraft i.ndu.stry's ability to produce the 

most modern combat airplane;;. fcr!:' the B-26 bas a:''IIII'':~ 

pla;

THE PURPOSE OP THIS PUBUCATION IS TO DISTRIBUTE INPORMATION ON AERONAUTICS TO THI PLYING PBIlSONN!L 

IN THE REGULAR ARMY, RESERVE CORPS, NATIONAL GUARD, AND OTHERS CONN!!CTBD WITH AVIATION, 

IDhl' Air 

14l'ttl'r 

INTELLIGENCE DIVISION 

MUNITIONS BUILDING 

U. S. ARMY AIR CORPS 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

VOL XXIV JULY 1, 1941 NO. 13 

REORGANIZATION 

OF THE ARMY AIR CORPS 

P -40 

Wing is Changed in Field 

The first known instance of a P-40 wing 

assembly being changed in the field, under 

simulated war conditions~_~ocurred recently 

in Michigan during a ten-11.8OY maneuver undertaken 

by the Fortieth Pursuit Squadron. of 

Selfridge Field. 

Need for the work arose when one P-4Q was 

ground-looped in a landing at Grql1ng, Mich. 

The right wing, center section and propeller 

were damaged,and both landing gear legs were 

broken off. Damage to the propeller also 

made necessary an engine change. Despite 

the seriousness of the damage to the ship, 

however! a complete repair job was done In 

the fie d and the airplane went back into 

service in the maneuver. 

Selfridge Field sent a crew from Base Engineering. 

under Tech. Sgt. Branzell, by convoy 

with a new wing and landing gear assembly, 

obtained by removal from other ships 

in aero-repair at Selfridge. A new engine 

and propeller also were brO'l.lghtto tbe scene 

by truck. 

Sgt. Branzell'. crew had to work out the 

technique of suspending and placing the new 

wing into position for installation on the 

spot, since they had never before encountered 

a similar situation. A technique waS 

developed successfully without delqt however. 

and the entire job was done una.er the 

most adverse conditions within three days. 

The Airplane waSnot back into the air within 

that period, however, since some minor work 

WaSdelayed by a shortage of parts. 

---000--- 

GENERAL ANDREWS TO BUENOS .AIRES 

Maj. General Frank M. Andrews, Commander 

of the Caribbean Air Force. has flown to 

Buenos Aires to represent the United States 

~ at the celebration this month of the 

annIversary of Argentine independence. 

Gen. Andrews substituted for Gen. George 

e Marshall the Cbief of Staff, who received 

the original invitation from the Arcentine 

Government, but was unable to leave 

the Uatwd Stat •• at thi. time. 

Arnold is "Chief of The Army Air Forces" 

The creation of an autonomous braneh of 

the WarDe-oartment to be known a' "The Arrq 

Air Forces n has been effected in one of the 

few major revisions of air organization in 

the Army since mil1tary aviation W&8 removed 

from the Signal COrpl and made a separate 

branch. 

Maj. General H.H. Arnold was selected to 

be the first Chief of the Army Air Force •• 

Apart from his appointment, however, the 

most important single feature of the reorganization 

was the removal of the GHQ.Air 

Force from the Jurisdiction of General Headquarters 

and placing it under the general 

supervision and control of the Chief of the 

.Ariny Air Forcel. 

Lieut. General Delol C. Emmonlwill CODtinue 

to commandthe old GHQ.Air Force. which 

has been rechristened and henceforth will 

be knownas the Air Force CombatCommand. 

The Chief of the Air CO:l'pScontinue. to be 

Maj. General George H. Brett. The function. 

of both branches of the new ArmyAirForce. 

remain virtually unchanged. 

The major difference is that all element. 

of air power now are unified in the Ar'my, 

with their control centered in a veteran 

air officer. As Chief of the Army AirForeel, 

Gen. Arnold will be responl!llble only to the 

Chief of Staff, and Genl. Emmonsand Brett 

only to the Chief of the Armw Air Forces. 

Gen. Arnold will retain his post al Deputy 

Chief of Staff for Air, and in that capacity 

will pass on air matters brought up by sections 

of the War D~artment General Staff 

and of the new Air S~aff. 

A Headquarters Army Air Force. wascreated 

with the reorfanization. It includes a 

Chief of the A r Staff, tbe Air Staff, the 

Air Inspector and the Air Adjutant General. 

The Chlef of the Air Staff will be :Brig. 

General Carl Spaatz. The Air Inspector will 

be Bri~. General Herbert A. Dargu.eand the 

Air Adjutant General 18 Lieut. Colonel William 

W. Dick. The Secretary of the Air 

Staff is Lieut. Colonel Muir S. Fairchild, 

with Lieut. Colonel Clende Duncan and Maj. 

I.P. Curti •• 

Memberl of the Air Staff, and the d1vilionl 

which they will head. are: 

~l Divi,ion (Personnel)--Col. Ralph COU8- 

~Continued on page 8 )

THE BIG BABY SOLOED 

B,19 Test Flights Under Way 

l 

The Flight 

\ Arter weeks of delay 

aased by dU'f'iculty in 

erfecting the brake Etystem, 

all the multitude of detailled 

preparations for this 

~ 

long-aw~ited f~ight at last 

were complete. The new runway, 

4,000 feet of concrete 

built especially for this 

moment, was finished and 

waiting. The day was clear 

and a rising sea breeze gave 

evidence that by noon a 

brisk wind, most favorable 

for a take-off, would be 

blowing. 

Word had circulated by 

grapeVine, telephone and 

personal contact that this 

day, June 27, 1941, was to 

be the day. A final check 

was completed and the airplane was searched 

thoroughly for evidence of subversive activities,-stowaways 

seeking a brief moment of 

fame, and any previously undiscovered defects 

or maladjustments. 

Everything was reported in order. The 

Douglas Company, manufacturers of the huge 

ship, secured the final, complete approval 

of the Army inspectors. The crew was read~ 

The chief pilot, Major Stanley Umst~ad, and 

his crew were sure that they were now at the 

end of What had long since come to be considered 

an endless vigil. 

Li eut. Co L dalles G. fay lo r 

on this page describes the 

fi-rst night of the B-19, the 

wor~d/s lar g e s t: bOllber, and 

gives a history of its deve~opllent 

as he persona~~y sees 

it. Tfhi~e Chief of the .Hrcraft 

Branch of the Naterie~ 

Division, at fright lie~d, 

Co~one~ Tay~or p~ayed an illportant 

ro~e in the work 

which ~ed to the huge JrllY 

~ir forces bOllbers of ,oday - 

in the deve~opllent Of which 

the United States has ~ed the 

world. the B-19, ~atest record-breaking 

product of the 

ArllY Air 10rces, was his particu~ar 

"baby," since he was 

head of the board of officers 

which gave final consideration 

to and apProva~ of its 

construe ti on. 

At 11:30 a.m., the crew got aboard. Major 

Howard Bunker climbed into the co-pilot's 

seat. At their places were the other members 

of the crew - Jack Grant, flight engineer; 

Herle Steel, hydraulic engineer; 

kwul Escallier, electrical engineer, all 

of the Douglas Company; Mark Koogler, civlltan 

employee from Wright Field, who actedas 

erE'Wchief, and the writer as Army observers. 

EqUipment was checked and tons of air mail 

taken aboard. 

Quickly the engines were started. Major 

Umstead taxied to the far end of the runwa~ 

pausing but a moment. The minute hand crept 

upward as it neared 12:00, the 8ppo1.nted 

hour. The brakes were set and the engines 

checked individually. 

Here She ComesI 

At 12:02 the engines were opened wide 

(Continued on Page 20) . 

-3- 

The History 

In the late 1920's it was 

becoming apparent that unless 

new and more suitable designs 

could be worked out as prototypes, 

the Doubet theory regarding 

employment of aerial 

bombardment would prove to be 

a fallacy. The eXisting 

bombing airplanes were so 

slow and had such little 

range that many people were 

convinced that their employment 

in unassisted formations 

against fighter aircraft was 

hopeless. 

To disprove this, the Materiel 

Division in 1929 worked 

out a new basicliesignfor 

a light, fast bomber which 

was produced in two formsas 

the B-9 by Boeing and the 

B-IO by Martin. When these two airplanes 

were type tested, the results startled the 

world, and everyone began to see that size 

was not important in airplane design, but 

that for a given horsepower a predetermined 

result could be secured provided real aerodynamic 

research had been completed prior 

to construction. 

One could secure either a small fast plane 

or a large efficient weight carrier - both 

having a relatively high performance if the 

aerodynamic solutions were cor~ect. Everyone 

began to incorporate the monoplane idea 

due to its now-proven high efficiency for 

any size of airplane. Large,' I:Ilgh~speed 

wind tunnels became a necessity. Military 

people began to set up requirements for 

their national air forces, depending upon 

their geography, national policy, etc. 

Germany elected to build many fast, highflying 

airplanes, including light bomb~~~ 

which sacrificed range and defense fur 

speed. This was due to the closeness of 

England and France, where it was thought 

shor-t.-j-ange fighter craft could help their 

bombers drive their way to Victory. The 

G.A.F. underestimated the ability of their 

airplanes to fight off attacking fighters 

when both their bombers and fighters lacked 

rear armament and, therefore, could not 

fight a position fight as is required of 

formation f'ighters. The value of a true 

escort fighter airplane was not "at reRlized. 

(Continued on Page 19) 

\ 

i 

\\\

Th-re8 men wh~ rece,i,ved th,~ h"ghe,;, scholast ic 

~atir.gs i.:Q.the class wh\c.h ""eC'e:ll.tly gl'adnahd from 

+1J,~,A\J;' C"l'1l" RadiI" C:)IlUIl1Jn1.cati,t:"l11 'S("Aool, 0 at SC''''lt+ 

]':'i.ald, Ill., we:!:'!!'l:'etai,ned there as inst:MJ,C+J'"ll'~. 

Th\s cla"ls, th~ la.'"{'ga?'" (;0,'" ;n :radio c"olllll1UUics.', 

';:ion,s i,1c, +he b;i.st"J!'Y cf "'b8 A\'" CG'P'. C'QJllIl'J.sl"ld.61, 

;,],v:ia+i,co, C'adeh atl.d 289 e:a.1:i,sted m~. 

The th"'d9 outst~w~ s"','dfal. t " we:t'fl Atexamle'l' U. 

Walke,,:,. JOf'leph N. ~ and He:o.!'YD" Robb, w)1""'9 :resp~,~tive 

"atings were 95.4, 92.3 and 91.7. 

Although 30 w"Jr--an' 

Mcnhrill '" wa."- SwimID:).~ at "F:i~'9 MiJ,e Pond." located 

in th," subu"'\:! \ of Springfield. The pUgh+ ",f' the 

imperiled C'ldld was bnught. t.o the :,e,rgean+'~ atten- 

...ian by a notlt-sw:i.mmi:og ci vi litm, Tn", clli.l,d disappeared. 

howeve:''9 Sergeant M:'m. t ''V1.1 J.e 

star':.eo +.0 flwi.m +,he 1.n+ o e:!"'ren.1:ng25 ya"'d:~ + 0 reach 

hex. wi.th t,he resu1.1 that. a"', lear.+. a ml,nu i e elapsfl(i 

befoTe she was recovered. tl. Sp1'i.ngfi,eld Girl. Scout. 

ass:i.s+,ed the ~(';l di.e1" in adn!1,nJs' ering ar+1ficial 

respil'ati.on. and S:aftette t.c 

denn'.e membersh\p m 1l):~ Canal Zac.e's "Mos+- Pat.l'iot- 

LC'Organ;l,zati,em. t8 a:a.d as a tcke:ll. of gratitude en the 

par' of th3 C')lDIIlBIldiD.g Offle-,e:r: of J'rance neld, 

Colon,,' Edwil1. J. H')l),"", £0"; tb.e splez:ui:'i,d corperatian 

if +b.e ItAl,. Corps D~tet.te Squad.-ran." 

"S,pi:r:,"', of the A3,1"Ci"~P"." a mili.ta:ry JDa.l.'Ch composed 

by M:l,jC:"" Wi.lli.am Cl:\.nc'.h• .Adjut.ant of the Gulf 

Coas+ Ai.,r COlp" Tr.ai:Q.i:oe Ce:ll.tel'. Randolph Field, 

Texas. was

ENLISTED PILOTS BEGIN TRAINING 

Gulf Coast Training Center Gets First Students 

IN AUGUST 

The first full class of enlisted flying 

Itudents in the history of the Army Air 

forces will begin flight training next month 

under the superVision of the Gulf Coast Air 

Oorps Training Center. 

Two hundred students. all of whom will be 

detailed from the ranks of the Army and many 

of whom are expected to be enlisted men of 

the Army Air Torces. will start learning to 

fly August 23. The name of the school to 

which they will be assigned has not been 

announced. 

Another 200 tentatively are scheduled to 

begin training October 4 and a third class, 

also of 200 men. will get underw~ about 

December 8. For the time being. at least. 

the enlisted students will get their elementary 

training at the same schools now 

training aviation cadets. 

Letters Sent To Cadet Applicants 

Most of the students in the first class 

probably will be men who previously had erpplied 

for appointments as aviation cadet •• 

but who had .to be turned down because they 

couldn't meet the educational (two years of 

college or its equivalent) requirement for 

men training to become pilot officers. Letters 

went out this week to all such men, 

advising them that they probably are eligible 

for training as enlisted pilots. 

Until the Air Corps has had time to set 

up replacement centers for the preliminary 

training of enlisted students--probably at 

Maxwell, Kelly and Moffett Fields--applicants 

from civil life will not be enlisted 

for assignment to training centers. In any 

event. it is believed that there are hundreds 

of qualified men already in the service--enough 

to fill up the first few classes. 

at least. 

Use of Pilots Undetermined 

Exactly how the enlisted pilots will be 

used after they graduate from the flying 

schools has not been determined definitely. 

Their ultimate duties will depend to a large 

extent it is understood. on the Army Air 

Forces' experiences with the graduates of 

the first few classes. Since the whole idea 

of large numbers of enlisted pilots is brandnew. 

plans for their assignments probably 

will be revised frequently as the Army learns 

more about their aptitude for various types 

of flying. 

Similarly. the nature of the flight training 

which they will undergo is subject to 

change. and it is very likely that their 

course will be revised from time to time--. 

at least until the most satisfactory method 

has been determined. Members of the first 

class will undergo the same course of in- 

Itruction as that given cadets. but this is 

an experiment and not likely to be repeated. 

of the training center. to which the first 

enlisted students are assigned have been requested 

to p~ particularlY close attention 

to their new charges. They also have been 

asked to submit their own recommendation., 

on the basis of their initial experiences, 

as to the form which future flight courses 

for enlisted men will take. 

Ferry Duty Anticipated 

It is reasonably certain that many of the 

enlisted pilots will be assigned to the interesting 

task of ferrying new aircraft from 

the factories to the squadrons to which the 

ships are assigned. Thousands of military 

aircraft, from trainers to bombers. thu.s 

will be delivered to their units by enlisted 

pilots. It is equally likely that enlisted 

pilots will be assigned to transport 

squadrons, carrying government-furnished 

equipment to the factories and freight from 

air depot to air depot. 

Since all the plans are still very muCh 

in the formative stage it 18 not known definitely--or 

at least has not been revealed-- 

to what extent the enlisted pilots will be 

used for combat flying. Selected enlisted 

pilots probably will be assigned to certain 

combat units, it was said this week in 

Washington. but whether these units will be 

pursuit, bombardment or whatever type waS 

not disclosed. 

What Kind of Insignia? 

Many other minor problems have not been 

settled! although most of them probably will 

be with n the next few weeks. One point, of 

very little seriousness from the military 

standpoint but of interest to every potential 

enlisted pilot. is that of insignia. Will 

enlisted pilots wear 8ilver wing8 on their 

left breast. as do all pilots now. or will 

they have a special insignia of their own-- 

possibly wearing embroidered wings on their 

upper sleeve, as was done during the fir8t 

World War? 

All such questions remain to be decided, 

or at least made public. Regtl1ation8 for 

the training of enlisted pilots have been 

drawn up and submitted to the Adjutant General 

for approval. They will be outlined 

here when approved finally. In the meantime. 

applications from enlisted men seeking assignment 

as flying students are being held 

in abeyance. 

---000--- 

IN A (BUMPY) RUT 

Jack Johnson and Charles Evans bumped into 

each other regularly and violently as rival 

soccer pla,yers in Glasgow" Scotland, They 

have buiimed ~ain: Pvt. '"ohn80n ana. Pvt. 

Evans collided while m8klng up their bunks 

at Lowry Field, Denver. 

Johnson a commercial artist 1n civil life 

and a resIdent of Montclair, N.J •• and Evans. 

Because the results of the first few New York City elevator operator and resident 

classes 

procedure 

will, to a large extent. determine 

in 1Ihe future, commanding officers 

of 

in 

Staten Isl~d, 

the Forty-Fir8t 

found thQm~:!~es together 

5Chool 5q on. 

-5-

BRAZILIAN OFFICERS VISIT RANDOLPH FIELD 

These officers of the Brazilian Air Force made military aircraft. Members of the group 

recently inspected the training center at are Capts. Manoel Rogerio, Ary Bello, 71rst 

Randolph Field while enroute from Burbank, Lieuts. Almir Martins, Paulo R. Goncalves, 

Calif., to their home Gtation at Rio de Joao A. Belloc~ Astor Costa, Haroldo Lima 

Janeiro on a ferry flight with four American- and Ary Neves.' 

-6-

CABBAGE AND X-C DON'T 

MIX 

World War I pilots who quieted their nerves 

at the end of particularly hazardous flights 

by rushing to the village estaminet and gulping 

.huge glesses. of whiskey (a device not 

considered sound practice for the pilot~ of 

the high-speed aircraft of World War II) had 

an excellent chance of becoming chronic alcoholics. 

In fact, two of the Medical Corps' best 

known flight surgeons write in a new book, 

"flying is a hazardous and exh.e.ustingoccupation, 

bu.tthe pilot will be wise who learns 

to 'taKe it' without recourse to alcohol as 

a benumbing drug ••••••military aviation in 

our time requires both physical and moral 

hardihood of the highest degree. Theneurotic 

weakling, seeking escape from stress, or 

the chronic alcoholic have no place in avi~ 

tion." 

The authors moe Lieut. Col. )o1alcolmC. 

Grow, M.C.! stationed a~ headquarte~ Southeast 

Air D strict, Tampa, Florida, Capt. 

Harry G. Armstrong, M.C., who recently was 

in England on a War Department assignment. 

Their new book iq "Fit to Fly,. a medical 

handbook for fliers published byD. Appleton- 

Century Company, with a foreword by Maj. Gen. 

H. H. Arnold Cnlef of the Army Air :forces. 

It is entirely possible that their book ~ 

prove to be as valuable a guide to young military 

fliers seeking to maintain their efficiency 

through vro-oerheal th as, for example, 

Assen Jordanoff s .Your Wings" and "Througn 

the Overcast" are valuable to embryo civilian 

fliers. 

Food Va. Altitude 

Cabbage and cross-country don't mix at 

least not at altitudes, Cel. Grow and ~apt. 

Armstrong maintain. If you're going on a 

cross-country, it would be a good idea to 

layoff large quantities of cabbage, cauliflower, 

~russels sprouts~ turnips and all 

other coarse vegetables. The same thing applies 

to all kinds of beans, highly spiced 

or greasy food and "excessive amounts of tea, 

coffee, sweets and alcoholic liquors." 

Even beer or carbonated drinks, such as 

the afternoon "coke," shOUld be avoided in 

too grp-at quantities. That somewhat bloated 

feeling you get after a large dinner, or too 

!!Ian,Y car-bone.t.eddrinks, can become something 

more than just bloated when y:lU get to altitli.d.E'S 

end the gas begins to expend. 

P1.o::leor transoceanic fliers who took along 

a few candy bars instead of trying to live on 

picnic lunches apparently knew their stUff, 

whether they knew why or not. The authors 

recommend that very thing, asserting that 

"during a long or fatiguing flight a few candy 

bar s are ideal as a means of allaying hunger 

and pruviding energy to flying personnel 

without, at the same time, overloading the 

stomach." 

More and Smaller Meals 

!tIt is ,robable that small meals or small 

amounts 0 concentrated and highly nutritious 

foods at frequent intervals, say five times' 

a day, during intensive flying activitywould 

be highly desirable for flying personnel,. 

they say. liThe importance of sufficient 

-7- 

fluids should not be overlooked. Good pure 

water,containingsufficient necessary salts 

and minerals is, after all, the best possible 

form of liquid to be consumed prior to and 

during flights •• 

Col. Grow and Capt. Armstrong even tell 

their flying readers what sort of exercise 

to take and why they should take it. 

"Young men," they say, .should engage in 

competi tive strenuous exercise such as roving, 

football, track, basketball and the 

like •••••There are certain sports that increase 

the capacity of the heart and l~s 

to a marked degree. These are mountain 

climbing, skiing and hunting in mountainau. 

country. 

Hill Climbing ~ine 

-Climbing hills brings into play not only 

the large muscles, but, as we ascend in altitude 

calls on the heart and lungs for great 

addi tional work due to the rarified air. Developments 

of this type make for better performance 

in the airplane at heights. 1I 

Of course, for the exercise of the eyes 

and to increase coordination they recommend 

tennis, squash, handball and such shooting 

as skeet. For men of forty and over, they 

limit exercise to the general confines of 

golf, fishing, swimming. cycling. bowling 

and "even squash and tennis ••••in short of 

the point of undue fatigue.1 Next time no 

more than nine holes, with more congenial 

partners, if the 40-year-old officer winds 

up his last eighteen with a feeling of irritation 

and fatigue, however. 

How It Feels To Fall 

Service friends of Capt. Armstrong, who 

may recall that he attracted widespread attention 

a few years 8€O by making aparachute 

jump in order that he might maKe a profeeelonal, 

medical study of his reactions while 

falling free will recognize portions of the 

chapter in .lIit to Flyllon protective device. 

and equipment, ranging from winter f1y'1Dg 

suits to parachutes and fire extinguishers. 

In this chapter he describes the sensation 

of faJ J 1 DR free. 

IIFalling free, contrary to the fenerallde. 

on the subject, is not a harrow ng experience," 

he and Col. Grow write. "The principal 

reason for this is that until one Ce's 

very close to the earth, there is no .ens~ 

tion of falling. 

Floating With Ease 

lOne feels as though he were simply suspended 

in space. As one gets closer to the 

earth however, and the eyes are able to detect 

the shortening of the distance between 

the body and the earth, the sensation of 

falling appears. 

"Itwas former ly thought (Capt. Arms trong ,8 

leap seems to have been largely responsible 

for scotching this belief) that a fall of 8llY 

considerable distance through space would 

cause unconsciousness and death. 

"We now know that it has no effect on .1...

_ _~ or __e m_n_, an- one s"ould 

never wor!7 about not being able to thinkor 

act normalJ.y in a delayed parachute jump. 

It should also be borne in mind that from 

~ reasonable altitude one has a considerable 

period of time to carry out his intentions 

since it requires about a quarter of a 

minute for the body to gain its full velocity, 

during which time only 1,500 feet have 

been traveled ••••• 

Advice To All 

The book is very complete, giving advice 

to young men seeking train~ng as military 

pilots as well as to those who already have 

reached that category. Five full chapters 

are devoted to the ~hysical examinations, 

outlining d!squalify~ng defects and recommending 

health measures to avoid such defects. 

One chapter, the last, even discusses 

the various diseases towh:ich airmen may 

be exposed while serving in the tropics, 

their cause, symptoms, preventive measures 

and treatment. 

Gen. Arnold reviews the work effectively 

in his foreword. 

'The subject of physical fitness of personnel,' 

Gen. Arnold wrote, ~as from the 

earliest d~s of aviation been of paramount 

importance. During the many years of my association 

wi th flyers and flying I have fel t 

the need of a book written in simple language, 

yet scientlfical~y accurate, that 

would serve as a guide to health for aviators. 

'Lieut. Col. Malcolm C. Grow for approximately 

four years Chief Flig~t Surgeon of 

the United States Army Air Corps, and Capt. 

Harry G. Armstrong, who for five years was 

director of the Aero-Medical Research Laboratory, 

Materiel Division, Air Corps, Wright 

Field, Dayton! Ohio, because of their interest 

and exper ence in aviation medicine,are 

well qualified to accomplish this task. 

~. book should perform an important 

..rvice for the 1:outh contemplating aviation, 

the younger, qualified airman and the veteran 

pilot, because it deals with the prevention 

of diseases important in relat1onto flyiJIg 

the physical examination all aviators musl 

take at frequent intervals and those factors 

peculiar to aviation that tend to affect the 

lives ~ well being of all who venture into 

the air.' 

'Fit to Fl¥' is dedicated to 'the memory 

of the medical officers of the Uni ted States 

Army who lost their lives in aircraft accidents 

in the performance of duty' and who 

'did much during their active careers toward 

advancing the science of aviation medicine.' 

It contains 375 pages, is indexed and sells 

for $3.50. 

---000--- 

LINK TRAINERS SUPPLIED BBOQKS J'IELD 

J'1fteen addi ti onal Link trainers are belDg 

snpplied to Brooks Field and will be installed 

in the first consolidated Link trainer 

building at the Texas field. The buil~ 

iug has been completed. 

LiDk trainers in the past have been installed 

in small number. in the"4"8.1'iou.e bangaft 

st Brooks and Kelly Fields. Ul t1mately 

all the trainers will be under one roof. 

BEOBGABIZATIOli OF TBJi1ABMT AIR CORPS 

(Continued trom page 1) 

ins. 

~2 (Militar.v Intelligence)--Brig. Gen. 

Martin F. Scanlon. 

A-3 (Operations and Training)--Col. Earl 

L. Naiaen. 

Ar-4 (Materiel and Supply)--Lieut. Col. 

Edgar p. Sorensen. 

Air War Plans--Lieut. Col. Harold L. George. 

Budget Section--Lieut. Col. Leland Miller. 

Statistics Section--Capt. J.M. Farrar. 

The Air Staff includes the old Plans Di Vision 

of the Office, Chief of Air Corps, which 

was taken over in its entirety and to which 

additional personnel has been assigned. The 

Air Staff assumes the general planning :fUnction, 

and the Air Inspector takes over the 

over-all inspection function which formerly 

was in the Office, Chief of Air Corps. 

The Air Staff essentially is a policy 

making and planning staff, and not an operating 

staff. _ Consequently, while the staff 

will determine broad policies to govern the 

Army Air Forces, it will be the duty of Gen. 

Emmons to direct the execution of those applicable 

to the Combat Command, and of Gen. 

Brett to supervise the actual operations 

required of the Air Corps. 

Regulations pertaining to the Army Air 

Forces charge Gen. Arnold wi th the following 

duties: 

The control of the activities of the Air 

Force Combat Command and of the Air Corps, 

the preparat10n of plans pertaining thereto, 

the supervisi'on and coordination of traintug 

of all other air uni ta, and the inspection 

essential to the fulfillment of these 

duties; 

The determination of requirements of the 

Army Air Forces with respect to personnel, 

materiel, equipment supplies and facilities, 

and the preparation of necessary plans for 

the development, organization, equipment, 

training, tactical operations, supply and 

main tenance thereof, includiDg overseas garrisons 

and task forces for theaters of 0perations 

and the assignment of personnel 

and materiel thereto; 

Tae determination of the Army Air Forcee' 

financial requirements and the control and 

supervision of funds appropriated for this 

purpose. 

Created wi th the Army Air J'orces was an 

Air CounCil, of which Gen. Arnold is president. 

Thie body iecharged with periodically 

reviewing and properly coordinating all 

major aviation project. of the Arm1, and 

passing on all matters of current policy. 

Its members include the Asst. Secretary of 

War for Air (ex officio), the Chief of the 

War Plans Division of the War Department 

General Staff t the Chief of the Air Force 

Combat Commana., the Chief of the Air C01jle, 

and any others who ~ be appointed rroa 

time to time by the Secretary of War. 

No outli~e of the functions .-signed to 

~~nt1nued on page 31 J 

- 8- J 

' l--{ c"'1 

• I 

f I ; 

r " 

>'"1 

\

___ --' ...J '- _ .. ,._-J "' --l..J ~_ ~ 

Senior officers of the new Air Corps Maintenance 

Command have begun developing a 

component of approximately 1~000 officers, 

10,000 enlisted men and 40,OOu civilian employees 

to carry out the functions for whioh 

the command was organized recently at Wright 

Field. 

Operating under the Chief of the Materiel 

DivIsion, the Maintenance Command will have 

complete responsibiHty for the storage, 

issue, repair and maintenance of all supplies 

and equipment required by the ArI!l1' 

Air Forces ~der any conditions whatsoever 

and In any location in which the Air 

Forces may be called upon to operate." 

The new unit will have three sections,the 

command group, the staff group and the operating 

group. The first will function under 

Gen. Henry J. F. Miller, Chief of the Maintenance 

Command. The second will be headed 

by Col. E.E. Adler,Asst. Chief of Staff for 

Plans, an.d the third by Lieut. Colonel F.S. 

Borum. Colonel Borum also is Chief of the 

Field Service Section. 

The operating subdivision will include 

one transport wing under the supervision of 

the Chief of the Maintenance Command, with 

headquarters at Wright Field. In this wing 

will be placed the responsibility for the 

organization, operating and training of all 

transport groups. 

wings of the Air Force Combat Command, further 

subdivisions being located at the CODtrol 

depots at Fairfield,Ohio. San Antonio, 

Texas; Sacramento, Calif.; Middletown~ Pa.; 

Scott Field, Ill.; Ogden, Utahi Mooile, 

Ala.; Rome, N. Y.; Oklahoma City! ukla.; Ma.- 

con Ga., and somewhere in Wash ngton. The 

last four have not yet been established. 

Mobile units also are to be established 

in order that they m~ move into the fiefd 

for temporary or semi-permanent basing in 

cOfu.ection with any aircraft activities of 

a "task" nature either in the continental 

United States or anywhere outside the country 

to which Air Force units might be sent. 

Gen. Miller is expected to put into operation 

in the Maintenance Command a number 

of innovations for which he 1s well kno~ 

The idea of mobile repair uni t s, for instance, 

was his while he was in command of 

the San Antonio Air Depot. where he had 

command for four yea~s before assuming hie 

new post at Wright Field. 

The value of the mobile unit was demo~ 

strated first by the repair of a B-17, complete 

to the installation of new engines 

and even to the extent of putUng in aluminum 

rivets where needed, in the field in 

which it was forced down. In another instance, 

a B-23 not only was completely repaired 

in the small field in which it made 

a forced landing, but the field from which 

There will be four maintenance wings, it flew out was built around it while the 

with headquarters placed conveniently near repair job was going on. 

---000--- 

NEW A I R COR P S D E POT S 

The Air Corps will have 11 large supply 

and repair depots within the continental 

United states when the present depot construction 

program is completed. Four are 

now in operation and two more are under construction. 

The two new depots are at Ogden, 

Utah, and Mobile, Ala. 

Of the remaining five depots yet to be constructed, 

the selection of sites for three 

was announced in recent weeks. They are to 

be located at Oklahoma City, Okla.; Rome, 

~ew York, and Wellston, Ga. 

The Oklahoma 

City Depot 

Thi;, d.epot will involve an outl~ of approximately 

$14,036,215 to cover the construction 

of the necessary housing accommodationa 

for officers and men, and all the 

necessary warehouses,hangars, repair shops, 

gasoline storage tanxs! runways and aprons, 

night lighting facilit es, etc. 

The Rome Air Depot 

The Air Depot near Rome,N.Y.twill embrace 

an area 2f 2 000 acres ana.wil cost approximately 

~13i~OO.000. About 2,800 civilians 

will be emp oyea. initially at this depot 

and the military personnel to be statione! 

there will number about 350 officers and men. 

A flying field will comprise part of the installation. 

Plans and specifications call 

for auto parks for employees,quarters, barracks, 

hangars salvage yards airplane and 

engine overha~ shops and ot~er facilities 

to provide complete overhaul of airplanes, 

engines! armament, radio, instruments ana. 

other a rcraft accessories. 

The Wellston, Ga., Air Depot 

The site selected for this depot, 13 miles 

south of Macon f 

consists of approximately 

2 200 acres. nitially to be employed at 

t~is activity will be about 2,800 civilian .. 

wi th a maximum of 5,400 if a three-shift work 

program is requirea.. A flying field will 

comprise part of the installation" as well 

as three runw~s each measuring aoout 5,000 

feet. Approximately 350 officers and men 

will be stationed at the depot. 

---000--- 

BAPTISTS PROVIDE FUNDS 

Recreational facilities for enlisted men 

at Lowry Field and other military establishmenta 

in the Denver area will be provided 

with $8,000 appropriated for the purpose by 

the Northern Baptist Convention. Chaplain Ray_ 

mond Collier. Lowry Field, has been advised. 

The money is part of a total of $150,000 

set aside by the Northern Baptist Convention 

at its May meeting in Wichita. Kansas. for 

recreation- 

the use of communi ties prOViding 

al facilities for soldIers. 

-9-

The acqlu'siticn from the Depa.rtmen~ ",f AgricUltu-r.e 

cf a 22.4OO-acra +,:rac"; ,j' laDd in the Ocala National 

Fores"; for U3a as a bombing raz1g'; by .,he Orland,. 

Fta... Air Base, was !lmlO'IJO.("ec; .,.ec,enHy by Col(JD.~1 

The,maI' S. V"s,-. base C.()IIlIIlalIdA~" 

'rhe bombing range is 35 mU.es nol't,bwes 

Adjutant. 

--000--- 

A "crash trailer" that ('an be towed behind en automobUe 

c:r ~ other veh.i.cle somewhat, like the audlia;7 

fire-fighting eqll.l,pment t~d beh.i.Ild taxicabs and. 

othex' cars by !,(Iud on ts anti-:r,a.id organiza.tions, bas 

'b~enput, intc service a.t the Qxna.-d, Calif.. t:ra.5.Ding 

cea:ts".. 

Designed by Hugh N'\.(~l')lsc.tn. st,age clJlllIIIa.tIde:l:' for 

Ca.t-Ae:r~ AC'adeIl\Y' npe:ra.to ..... s f)f t,he school. the trailerll 

cont,ain aU necessary tools. stretcherfil and first 

aid equi.pmen+,. They are ass;l.gned r.o the headquarters 

nel.d and 801. ~ aux:iJ.ial'Y fj.e:l.d~ used. by the Air Corps. 

Detachment. 

1i1ve:rypiece of rolling stC'lck assigned to the center. 

tram. private autollCbilefi NraJ. 

pieC"es of equi.pD.\9':l.+which a"e in use in t,rain;I.:og 

aviaticn cadet"" 

-000--- 

-10- 

A ~e,lgeant on duty in. the Philippine lslan.ds. 

having ccuplet,e(j thirty yea't'st ser

SIXTEEN NEW FIELDS "CHRISTENED" 

A Daae which was borne for m&DT years by 

a small Air Corps station on a ti~ tropical 

island in the far Pacific now has been 

given to a new air ba8e on a semi-tropical 

island a few hundred miles out in the Atlantic. 

an!te=\:~t 

the new Army Air Forces base on the :British 

resort island of :Bermuda will be known as 

-Kindley Field- and the old air station on 

the little island of Corregidor, in the 

Philippine Islands, will have disappeared 

in all but memory. 

or w~:u. 

f fireV. J:ie~~~~;{! 

Sixteen 

Hamed 

!he new designation was one of sixteen 

•chr1e tenings. of new Army Air Forces flying 

fields announced recently. Eight of the 

fields, all but one of which were named in 

honor of Army aviators cited for gallantry 

while flying wi th the A. E. J., are on the 

overseas bases acquired from Great :Britain. 

The one exception is Sheppard Field, at 

Wichita Ja.118~ Texas~ named in honor of the 

late SeDator Morris ~heppard, of Texas for 

many years chairman of the Senate Mil l tary 

Affairs Committee. 

The new Kindley J'ieldprobably will be of 

most interest to the hundreds of officers 

and enlisted men who have served in the 

Philinpines, since the field of that name 

was considered one of the most desirable 

stations to which Air Corps personnel in the 

Philippines could be assigned. It was free 

of the mosquitoes found on the mainland 

and, being entirely surrounded by water, 

was cool at night. 

but vas killed ia 19ao in a crash at Baa 

Antonio, !exas. 

Other Heroes 

Honored 

Other equally heroic American pilots are 

memorialized in the del1gnat1on of new field •• 

Some of the.e new bases and the records ot 

the men tor whom they were named, follow: 

*1fgua, Leeward I. eidge J'ield 

:Bermuda Kindley Jield 

:British Guiana Atkinson Field 

Jamaica Vernam J'ield 

Stephenville, Harmon Jield 

Hewfoundland 

St. Lucia, Windward Beane Field 

ble • 

Trinidad. 

Island ot Great 

Exuma, :Bahamas 

Fort Wayne, Ind. 

Phoenix, Ariz. 

Wichita Falls, Tex. 

Camp Beauregard, La. 

Spokane) Wash. 

Macon, u-a. 

Panama City, J'la. 

Denver, Colo. 

Waller ),ield 

Campbell 'ield 

Bur )'ield 

Luke J'ield 

Sheppard Field 

Esler Field 

Geiger 'ield 

Cochran 'ield 

Tyndall )'ield 

:Buckley Field 

One of the heroes was 1st Lieut. hank 

Luke, Jr., World WaJ' ace and renowned .balloon 

buster,- whose record of 18 victories 

in 17 days was not equalled by any other 

American flyer. He was officially credited 

wi th bringing. down four planes an4 14 observation 

balloons. On September 28, 1918. 

while on a balloon foray, he wa, forCed 

down and killed when he refUsed to eui'nll4er. 

He received three decorations the Die- 

Pilots assigned to Kindley Field flew sea- ti~ished Service Cr08s for extraordi~ 

planes and amphibians since there wasn't heroism in the St. Mihiel offensive on four 

enough room on the little island for a reg- different occasions, the Oak Leat Cluster 

ular landing £ie14. The airplanes were to the D.S.C., and '&heCongressional Medal 

hangared ashore but were rolled or taxied of Honor, the latter posthumously on recoainto 

the water tor take-offs. The Air Corps mendatlon of Gen. John J. Pershing. 

officers flew missions for the Coast Artillery 

Corps spotting the fire of the huge Luke J'ield at Phoenix, AriZ., is the seeguns 

guard l ng the entrance to Manila Bay. ond Air Corps 8tation to be named in memor;r 

of this World War hero. The first so named 

Abandoned Years J.go was at J'ord Island in the Hawaiian Department, 

which several years ~o was taken oyer 

Jor various reasons, Kindley Field final- by tne Bavy and given a Baval designation. 

ly was abandoned by tne Air Corps about 1930 Since Phoenix was Lieut. Luke's home town, 

and the station turned over to the Coast the naming of the new .Air Corps station there 

Artillery. Most of the personnel--only six in his memory is highly appropriate. 

or seven officers and their families and the 

necessary enlisted personnel to handle three Coolidge la Leewards 

or four aircraft were assigned to the tle1d-- 

returned to the United States. Lieut. Col. The new field at Antigua, Leeward Islands, 

Vincent J. Meloy, nov a member of the Gen- was named in honor of Capt. Hamiltoa 0001- 

eral Staff, Third Air lorce~ Tampa, Fla., i4ge, a native of Chestnut 'ield._Ma.s.~ 

was the last Commanding Orficer at old who was killed in actio~ Ootober B7, 19l~, 

Kindley Field. while leading his patrol in hue ••. !hi 

Distinguished Service Cross was conterred 

Capt. Kindley, whose name now is attached upon him pos thUllously• 

to what probably will be another highly desirable 

station, was a native of Pea Bidge, Capt. Coolidge was graduated from Groton 

Ark. The :British Government credited him School in 1915 with an .Aero Club lice~ ... 

officially with 12 victories over enemy air- He attended the otfioer.' training caRP a' 

craft, and for his exploits King Geo!:!e V Platt.burg, enl18ted in the Arm7 &8 a Serpresented 

him with the Distinguished '~ing geant, attended Matsachusetts lnsti~te of 

01'088and the United States .arded him the Technolog and was .ent to hance in 1917 

Distinguilhed Service Cross with Oak Leat. as a l8t Lieutenant. He was assigned to 

After the War he returned to thia country the 1st Pursuit Group there ud promoted to 

and had abrill1ut record &8 a racing pilot, CaptaiD. 

-11- 

/

Atkinson Field, British GUiana, was named 

for Maj. ~ert M. Atkinson, whose leadership 

of the 1st Pursuit Wing in France won him a 

recommendation for the Distinguished Service 

Medal. He twice was cited for meritori- 

OUIl service and received the Lee:ion of Honor 

and Croix de Guerre with Palm tFrench). 

A native of Newman Ga., he attended the 

Georgia Military Coliege and the University 

of Georgia and wa., commissioned a 2nd Lieut. 

in the Regular Army in 1911, rieiDi; to Major 

bY 1917. After the War he was retired ~or 

dlsability and died in 1937. 

fernam Field, Jamaica, was named for 1st 

Lieut. Remington d~. Vernam, credited with 

bringing down three or more enemy airplanes 

and two or more balloons. He took part in. 

numerous engagements ...was ci ted for heroism, 

and died of wounds vecember 1...1918, after 

being taken prisoner. The vistinguished 

Service Cross was conferred upon him ,posthumously. 

He was born at Ru therford 1 

N. Y., and attended 

St. John's Military cademy. 

Harmon Field~ Stephenville~ Newfoundland, 

was named for vapt. Ernest.l!i. Harmon, who 

served as an instructor and test pilot during 

th!" ~'iarand La ter specialized In patents 

and as a test pilot for bombers. He was 

born in Dallas, Tex., and was killed in 1933 

bailing out on a test flight. 

Windwards For New Yorker 

Beane Field St. Lucia, Windward Islands, 

gets its name trom 1st Lieut. James D. ~eane, 

a nativeofUew York City ..who went to France 

in 1916 as an ambulance rield worker. He 

enlisted in the A.E.F. at Paris in 1917 and 

was commissioned after receiving flying 

training. His role in an air battle June 30, 

1918, in which he was wounded, won him the 

Croix de Guerre. Upon his return to the 

front he was cited for the Distinguished 

Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in 

battling eight enemy planes. He was credited 

with more than five enemy airplanes before 

his death in action was reported October 

30, 1918. 

Waller Field, Trinidad, was named for Maj. 

Alfred E. Waller. a native of Morganfiela.. 

KY., whoenliste~ in the Army in 1917 an~ 

was commissioned as a 2nd Lieut. in May, 

1918 after flying training. He was promote! 

to 1st Lieut. in 1920, became a flying 

instructor, and was elevated to Captain 

in 1932, and to Major in 1935. He was 

killed December 11, 1937, in a crash at 

Langley Field, Va. 

Campbell Field Island of Great Exuma, 

~ahamaSi was name! for 1st Lieut. Murton L. 

Campbel a native of Columbus, Ohio, who 

was cite! for the Distinguished Service 

Cross for gallantry in action. On June 20, 

1918, he was killed in action while flying 

behind the German lines. 

23, 1918, he vas reported milling but later 

it was revealed that he had been taken 

prisoner. Sublequent17L he wall recommended 

for the Bronze Oak Lear to the D.S.C., and 

at the end of the War he was honorably diecharged 

and returned to civilian life. 

Esler Field Camp Beauregard, La., wal 

named for and tieut. Wyler Esler, who was 

killed April 11 1941 in a crash at the 

field that will ~Aar hIs name. Born in 1916 

at Des Moines, Iowa, Lieut. Esler wasa 

graduate commercial pilot when as a commiesioned 

officer of the National Guard he was 

inducted into the Federal Service on October 

5, 1940. 

Geiger Field will be the new name of ~ 

set Field. Spokane, Wash. It was named in 

honor of Maj. Harold Geiger! veteran dirigible 

pilot ..who was killed in 927. A native of 

Plainrield, N.J., he was a graduate of the 

U.S. Military Academy and served in France 

in 1918. 

Hewas sent to Italy in 1919 to stud.Y dirigibles 

and upon his return to the United 

States, specialized in lighter-th~air 

craft. He also served as military attache 

to The Hague and to Berlin. He was killed 

in an airplane crash at Middletown, Pa. 

Georgia Field For Georgian 

Cochran Field, Macon, Ga., was named for 

1st Lieut. Robert J. Cochran, who was born 

at Camilla, Ga •.a. and attended the University 

of Georgia and The Citadel. Sent to France 

on flying duty in 1918 he was attached to 

the lOlst Observation S~uadron as an observer 

and was killed in action in the St. Mihiel 

offensive October 10, 1918. 

First Lieut. r.B. Tyndall for whom Tyndall 

Field, Panama City, .,a., l was named, 

was born a~ Sewells Point, Fla., and attended 

Valparaiso University. 

He was sent to France in 1917, vhere he 

received flying instruction and was commiesioned 

March 22, 1918. He scored four air 

victories, became a flight commander and 

was recommended for the Distinguished ~ervice 

Cross. 

For ten years after the War he did diBtinguished 

work as a te st pilot and mili t~ 

representative at aircraft factories. ~e 

was killed July 15, 1930, in an airplane 

accident near Mooresville, N.C. 

Buckley Field Denver Colo. was named 

for 2nd Lieut. john Harold ~uckiey. a native 

of Longmont Colo. After atten~ing the 

Universi ty ot Colorado and serVing in the 

National Guard! he enlisted in the Regular 

Army. Januar,r 30, 1918. He vas commissioned 

a 2n~ Lieut. after receiving flyiDi; training. 

Sent to France, March 12, 1918, he was killed 

in an aCCident, September 27, 1918. 

---000--- 

PROMOTION OF .AIR CORPS OFFICERS 

lirst Lieut. Paul Frank ~aer, for whom 

Baer Field ..Ft. Wayne, Ind., was named, was President Roosevelt sent to the Senate the 

a native or that city and enlisted in the nominations for promotion to major general 

!Tench Army February 26, 1917. Later he of Brig. Generals Gerald C. Brant, RUsh B. 

transferred to the Lafayette Escadrille Lincoln. Walter R. Weaver. Lewis H. ~rereton. 

where his gallantry in action won him the Millard F. Harmon and Herbert A. Dargue. 

commendation of Gen. Pershing, and he received 

the Distinguished Service Cross. 

The promotions tg brigadier ~neral ot 

Colonels Edwin ~. Lyon. Henry J. --'. Miller 

v.... ~d lialph P Jl, Cousins were also submitted to 

While battling eight enemy planes, ~ the Senate xor confirmation. 

-12-

MAXWELL MANEUVERS TEACH FIELD DUTIES 

Squadrons of the Air Force Combat Command 

based. at Maxwell Field have taken to the 

road and the woods this gummer in a series 

of individual maneuvers intended to give 

their officers and men field training in all 

departments and practical experience in working 

under actual field conditions. 

Each squadron is being required to function 

as an entirely separate unit. Every noncommissioned 

officer has been givenindividual~.definlte 

and important tasks toperform. 

At ~e conclusion of the maneuver, results 

are being published and critiques are heldfirst 

by the officers and then with all the 

noncommissioned officers. 

Four Movements ~o Date 

Under command of Capts. Harold H. Fulk 

and Glen A. Kime, the AFCC Squadro~., each 

traveling in a convoy of from 60 to 70 

trucks, have participated in movements 

to Selma and Passmore Field, Ala. and twice 

to Eglin Field, Florida. About 371 officers 

and enlisted men participated in each movement, 

the co~voys being escorted through 

communities by civilian police working in 

cooperation with military policemen. 

Each squadron functioned as a separate 

unit with respect to such matters as transportation 

t supplies~ mess, field sanitation 

and such rield proolems as refrigeration 

shelter, development of bivouac areas anA 

the like. During the dB¥ the officers, in 

a group, made a tour of inspection of the 

bivouac areas, followed by the first sergeants 

on simllar tours. Noncommissioned 

officers inspected each other's installations 

with a critical eye. 

The maneuvers proved to be exceptionally 

valuable in training the lower ranking noncommissioned 

officers in carrying out their 

duties in the field. They were assigned 

the important tasks of acquiring the wood 

supply for cooking, locating and obtaining 

safe water for bathlng and drinking purposes, 

pitching tents, providing drainage and se~ 

ting up sanitation facilities. 

Bugler Toots In ]he Rain 

Clerks set up their field headquarters. 

Cooks operated under full field conditions. 

A first aid station was established and a 

truck park functioned. Drivers were required 

periodically to inspect their vehicles and 

the maintenance crew vorked out in the open 

to keep trucks in operation. Even the bugler 

had to wipe the rain off his instrument 

and go to work under the stars. 

Because of unusually heavy weather, it 

was deemed inadvisable for the squadrons 

participating in the Selma and Passmore trips 

to remain overnight in the field. although 

preparations were made to this en~ and the 

command was not otherwise notified until 

orders for a forced march were issued. 

phase of the two exercises should be eliminated. 

Apparently members of the cOllUll8nd 

like to spend the night in the rain. 

The two trips to Florida covered four 

~s. While the squadrons were theret the 

entire command was given enough time o~f to 

take off for the beaches and get in a 11ttle 

fishing and swimming. 

Participating in the exercises were the 

following officers, in addition to Capts. 

Fulk and Kime: First Lieuts. Ralph F. G&Jldy, 

meSSi and William G. Prince1transportation; 

and ~nd Lieut. Colon S. Auv 1, supplies an~ 

field sanitation. 

;QLiving At 

Night 

Truck drivers gained valuable experience 

in night driving in convoys on the two Alabama 

trips, the ov~rnight phase of which 

had to be cancelled. A standard menu was 

in effect on all four maneuvers and subsistencewas 

issued at the home station prior to 

departure. 

Each mess sergeant prepared and submitted 

his requisition for rations; and ice was i__ 

sued at the home station for each squadron 

mess. One organization took alo~ its own 

wood and water supplies on the Selma trip 

and, as a result, was the first squadron to 

serVe the noon meal. 

Each squadron provided its own shovels, 

axes, lanterns, soap, mirrors, wash basins, 

lime~ tables, chairs, stools, bulletin 

boar~s and other sucn supplies. Some organizations 

purchased extra delicacies for 

the mess, such as ice cream and such fresh 

fruits as were available at reasonable prices 

in the locality. 

---000--- 

COLONEL OLDS RECEIVES TROPHY 

The bronze trophy" and medal of the International 

League of Aviators have been awarded 

to Col. Robert Olds. Chief of the Air 

Corps Ferrying Command, for his "many contributions 

to the science of aeronautiCS" 

and particularly for commanding several 

squadrons of B-17 1 s on goodwill missions to 

South America. 

The award was made this month in the office 

of Robert A. Lovett. the Asst. Secretary 

of War for Air, who made the presentation. 

Present for the ceremony were highranking 

officers. including Maj. General H. 

H. Arnold, Chief of the A:rmy Air Forces 

and members of t~e International League of 

Avia.tors, led by Maj. Charles Wayne Kerwood. 

Air Co~s. co-founner of the League, chairman 

and president of its American section. 

The bronze trophies of the League have 

Breaking camp loading and formation of been presented to outstanding airmen by 

the convoy nevertheless was swift and effi- presidents and rulers of more than 21 councient, 

being completed fully an hour ahead tries since 1927. The medal carries the 

of schedule. Morale was high although portrait of the late Albert. King of the 

most of the officers and men were hsappoint- :Belgians patron of the League. King Albert 

ed when it was decided that the overnight personally posed for the medal. 

-13-=

THE AVIATION 

CADET TRAINING PROGRAM 

A new record in the number of applicants 

accepted for flight training was set during 

the week ending June 21, a total of 786 men 

receiving assignments as aviation cadets. 

The previous high, 555 accepted applicants, 

was set during the week ending June 14. 

The Air Corps now has over 9,000 aviation 

cadets in training--most of them as piloteat 

civilian contract and Army flying schools. 

Early this fall, the Air Corps will attain 

its 12,00o-pilote-a-year rate of training, 

when it will have 51 schools in operatio~ 

Thirty-four new flying schools are being 

added to the Air Corps training systellunder 

the program to train pilots at the rate of 

30,000 a year, thus raising the total n~ 

ber in the training system to 85. 

Elementary Flying Schools 

Under the 12,00o-pilot training program! 

26 civilian SChools are under War Departmen 

contract to give elementary training, as 

follows: 

SO~iheast Air Co~s Training Center: 

8hama InstitU:e 01 Aeronautics, Inc., 

Tuscaloosa, Ala. 

Embry-Riddle Co., Carlstrom Field, 

Arcadia, Fla. 

Darr Aero Tech. Inc., Albany, Ga. 

Lincoln Flying ~ChOOl! Lakeland A Fla. 

Graham Aviation Co. mericus, ~a. 

Mississippi Institute of Aeronautics, 

Inc., Jackson, Miss. 

Chicago School of Aeronautics, Albany, 

Ga., and Lakeland, Fla. 

Southern Aviation School, Camden, S.C. 

Gulf Coast Air Corps Training Center; 

Pine Bluff School of Avia Uon, Pine Bluff, 

Ark. 

Parks Air College, East st. LOUis, Ill. 

Missouri Institute of Aeronautics, Inc., 

Sikeston Mo. 

Spartan Sctool of Aeronautics, Municipal 

Airport Tulsa Okla. 

Air ActivIties of Texas, Corsicanna, Tex. 

Brayton Flying SerVice, Inc., Cuero Tex. 

Texas Aviation School, Inc., Hicks tield, 

Fort Worth, Tex. 

Lou Foote Flying SerVice, Stanford, Tex. 

welt Coast Air Corps Training Centerir 

ou€hwest Airways, Inc. Plioen1x iz. 

Ryan School of AeronautIcs, Hemet, Calif. 

Palo Alto Airport, Inc., King City, Calif. 

Cal-Aero Training Corp., Ontario, Calif. 

Cal-A.ero Training Corp. Oxnard Calif. 

Ryan School of AeronautIcs, Lin!bergh 

Field, San Diego, Calif. 

Allan Hancock College of Aeronautics, 

Santa Maria, Calif •. 

Rankin Aeronautics Academy, Inc., Tulare, 

Calif. 

Basic Flying Schools 

Southeast Air Corns Training Center; 

Gunter Field, MOntgomery, 11a. 

Macon Ga. 

AU~lsta_ Ga. (civilian school under contract/. 

Tuskegee, Ala. (also an advanced school). 

-14- 

Gulf Coast Air corts Trainirg Center; 

Randolph Field, an Ariton 0, Texas. 

San Angelo, T~xas. 

Brady, Texas ~eivilian school under contract) 

• 

lf Coast Air Cor s Traini 

roo s e , an on 0, 

observers' school). 

Ellington Field, Houston, Texas, (also 

bombardiers' school). 

Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, (also 

navigation school). 

Victoria, Texas. 

West Coast Air Corps Training Center: 

stockton Ca1i1. 

Mather FIeld, Sacramento, Calif., (also 

naVigation school). 

Phoenix, Arizona. 

Panama City Fla. 

Las Vegas, tev. 

Advanced Flying Schools 

SQutheaii Air iorRa Training Center; 

~axw. F1el Montgomery, l1a. 

Barksdale Fietd ..La~ (also bombardier and 

navigation scnool/. 

Selma, Ala. 

Albany, Ga. 

Gunnery 

Navigation 

Schools 

Sc~ 

Pan American Airways, Inc. (under contract). 

In stepping up the pilot training program 

from 12,000 to 30,000, the contract civilian 

elementary flying schools are increased from 

26 to 41; the basic military flying schools 

from 7 to 15; the advan~ed military flying 

sChools! (single engine), from 3 to 7, and 

two--eng ne from 8 to 14; the flexible gunnery 

training military schools,jrom2 to 3; 

and the Replaceme~t Centers, (pilot, bom.- 

bardier, navigator) from 3 to 4. 

No increase has been made over and above 

the three basic civilian flying schools under 

contract, the one basic-advanced military 

school, and the one contract civil naVigation 

school. 

Sites for 12 of the 19 additional Army 

schools to be established under the 30,000- 

pilot program have already been selected by 

the War Department viz: Advanced Schoole-- 

Dothan Ala •• Moultrie and Valdosta, Ga.; 

GreenvIlle, Miss.; Lake Charles, La.; Midland 

and ~ubbock, Texas, and Victorvl11e, 

Calif.; Basic Schools--Sumter, S.C.; Sebring, 

Fla., and Higley, Ariz.; and Harlingen, 

Texas (gunnery school). 

---000-- 

II KDP '. FLYING! •

FLEDGLING 

SON OF FAtvf.OUS FATHER 

Cadet JaUlP

Schools added to SG..A.C. :Jraining Center 

The construc.tion of six new flying schools 

in the Southeast Air Corps Training Center 

is proceeding on schedule and will b. completed 

in all cases by November 1, 1941. 

Their completion will give this training 

center a total of 23 pilot training schools. 

Preliminary surveys have been made of the 

sites of these schools, and the construction 

program has been approved and authorized by 

the Wa.rDepartment. The buildings will be 

of the temporary wooden type construction. 

Data regarding these six new schools, such 

as the names of the Project and Assistant 

Project Officers, personnel allotment, acreage, 

etc., is given below as follows: 

~, Basic Flying Schoo L] Maj. 

Bur~y, Project Officeri Capt. D. 

A. Cooper, Asst. Project Officeri 217 officers 

475 Flying Cadets, 1,930 enlisted men 

and 15 nurses. This field will cover about 

2,800 acres. 

qreenville. Miss!l Basic Flying Schooli 

MaJs. AOR. McConne , Project Officeri John 

F. Guillett, Asst. Project Officeri 217 officers 

475 Flying Cadets, 1,930 enlisted 

men. Titis field ",ill cover about l,900acres. 

Moultrie, Ga" Two-engine Advanced Flying 

Schooli MaJ. Y.H. Taylor, Project Officeri 

Capt. D. I. Moler, Ass~stant Project 

Officeri 188 officers, 352 Flying Cadets, 

2,015 enlisted men and 1.5nurses. This project 

will cover 1,6~0 acres and will have wide 

runways, 300 by 4,500 feet for fleet landings. 

--000--- 

Valdosta. Ga., Two-engine Advanced Flying 

Schooli Lieut. Colonel Fred C. Nelson, 

Project Officeri Capt. T. Miller, Asst. 

Project Officeri 388 officers 1 

628 7lying 

Cadets, 3,104 enlisted men. and

FRESNO BASE FIRST SINCE CIVIL WAR 

The establishment of the future home of 

the Fifteenth Bombardment GrOlZp at the Fresno 

Air Base marks the first time since the 

C1v.il War that military personnel have been 

located in this section of California. This 

e:1r base, about 100 miles inland, is strategically 

situated midway between two great 

metropol1 tan areae of the Pacific Coast--San 

Francisco and Los Angeles, and is a key point 

in the defense plan for both of these areall. 

When completed, on or about July 20, the 

base will cover approximately 1,000 acres. 

Under construction at present are 124 buildings, 

and additional construction involving 

the sum of $29,624, is being planned for the 

future. The four wells being. dug and expected 

to furnish an average of three million 

gallons of water per day will serve a very 

useful purpose, since the average day time 

temnerature in Fresno during the summer is 

around 100 degrees. 

Headquarters 

In Postofflce 

At present, the headquarters of the Fresno 

Air Base is situated in an abandoned post 

office building in the heart of the city of 

Fresno. So keen an interest in the new bombing 

base has been exhibited by the citizens 

of Fresno and the neighboring towns that 

since June 1st no less than 15 requests were 

received from various organizations for 

speeches by members of the command, or an 

average of one speech per day. 

Mosquito Dive Bombers 

The only uncooperative element in Fresno 

seems to be a constant swarm of overly-active 

mosquitoes. The commanding officer of 

the medical detachment at the air base has 

formulated plans for eliminating this pest 

on the military reservation. Civilian agencies 

are planning immediate steps to extend 

this mosquito abatement work in the environs 

of Fresno.- Malaria, a mosqui to-spread disease 

- "epidemic encephalitis" (sleeping 

sickness)- is on the increase in California, 

12 deaths in Fresno County during the last 

six months of 1940 being attributed to this 

disease. Hope is expressed that, with 

the combined action of military and civil 

authori ties, an early solution of this problem 

may be reached. 

---000--- 

THE DEVELOPl-tENTOF GRAY FIELD 

Gray Field, adjacent to Fort Lewis A 

Wash., 

which started out in 1936 as just a landing 

field, I. has now attained the importance' of 

an air base headquarters. 

lery regimental station to its present size. 

Personnel of the post point with pride to 

new construction and landscaping. Engineering 

classes were initiated by the post engineering 

officer, 1st Lt. Roy W. Gustafson, 

and the new men arriving daily are being instructed 

as rapidly as possible. 

Ninety-First Departs For Maneuvers 

The Ninety-First Observation Squadron, in 

command of Major K.R. Crosher, is participating 

in the Fourth Army maneuvers in California. 

Master Sgt. Steven B. Young is making 

excellent progress in training recruits 

to be crew chiefs. Although he has twice 

before served as First Sgt. in line branches, 

"Top Kick" Harry Stevenson is busily acquainting 

himself with the d.uties of a first 

sergeant in the Air Corps. 

New Photo Squadron 

]'!ight "F," First Photographic Squadron, 

commanded by Major George G. Northrup, is 

to become the nucleus of the Second Photographic 

Squadron under the ~ame leadership. 

It is stated that reports of the flight putting 

out 2500 prints a day, or from 30,000 

to 35,000 a month are not mere rumors. The 

supervisor of the laboratory work is 2nd 

Lieut. George W. Fisher, former instructor 

in the Photographic School at Lowry Field, 

Colo. 

A Long Trek By Motor Convoy 

The Third :Barrage Balloon Squadron left 

very early one morning in June for Wilmington, 

N.C., by truck convoy. Lieut. Colonel 

M.E. McHugo was in command. Three warrant 

officers and two master sergeants accompanied 

the unit on the trip down south, two of the 

former, Robert E. Lassiter and Arvin E. 

Miller, accepting commissions aa captain and 

second lieutenant, respectively. 

With the Gray Field tactical units absent 

on maneuvers, the Air Base Detachment, activated 

only six months ago, waS confronted 

with the task of carrying out the functions 

of the post. In a very short time, however, 

everything was r~ing smoothly under 

the able gui.dance of the several veteran 

noncommissioned officers on duty with this 

unit. 

---000--- 

SAFETY BELTS ARE REALLY SAFE 

Safety belts on airplanes at Scott Field 

BelleVille, Ill., were recently subjecte! 

to the regular bi-annual tests, under the 

direction of the plane crew chiefs, and no 

replacements were found necessary. 

In June, 1936, the Ninety-First Obs. Squad- Removed from the airplanes every six 

ron was transferred to Fort Lewis from the months, the end of each safety belt is at- 

Presidio of San FranCiSCO, Calif., and about tached to a heavy concrete block and the 

a year later it was joined by the Third Bal- other end to a weight-testing machine. A 

loon Squadron, from Moffett Field, Calif. lever is then pulled which suspends the 

These two units performed the cooperative block from the machine by the safety belt. 

missions and photographic work for the Fort While under the strain, the belt 1s careful- 

Lewis troops as the post grew from an artil- 1y checked for stretching or weaknesses. 

-17-

EXTENSIVE FLYING OPERATIONS 

AT RANDOLPH 

Student pilots at the basic flying school 

flew over 300 000 miles in cross-country 

navigation fligtts during the month of M~, 

according to figures recently computed. 

Distance flights involving navigationproblems 

have not been a part of the course of 

instruction at Randolph Field in the past 

two years. In M~, however, these flights 

were again introduced as part of the 70 hours 

of basic flying training. 

Before completing his basic flying training 

course each cadet participates in three 

cross-country flights to various points in 

Texas. 

On a 3D-day month basis, officials estimate 

that aviation cadets are aloft 1,000 

hours each flying day per month. 

Cadets Report From New SCh001s 

Air defense pushed ahead another step when 

the first aviation cadets from six new civilian 

elementary flying schools arrived at 

Randolph Field for basic flight instruction. 

Out of 346 cadets in Cla~s 4l-H, which 

started basic instruction the second week in 

June, 187 were from schools where the training 

set-ups started functioning a little 

over ten weeks ago. The new schools at the 

following localities furnished students, as 

follows: Pine Bluff, Ark.} 31; Cuero, Texas, 

34; Stamford, Texas, 19; uklahoma Clty, Okla., 

24, Corsicana, Texas, 37; and Phoenix, 

Ariz., 42. 

Of the remaining students in the new class, 

turned in by the older elementary flying 

schools, the larges t number, 86, was credi ted 

to the one at Tulsa, Okla. followed by 

East St. Louis, Ill.,with 5~; San Diego and 

Santa Maria, Calif., wi th 12 and 3, respectively. 

The new class will receive ten weeks of 

training on larger and more maneuverable and 

powerful aircraft than the type utilized in 

primary training. 

Showing Mistakes By Visual Method 

Mechanical failures having been cut to zero, 

flight instructors recently formed a 

.vlsual educational" series of pictures to 

erase the last remaining problem in pilot 

training-the lIemptyvoid between earphonesll 

mistake. 

These pictures, which are on the walls of 

every engLceering control office on the 

field, show vividly what can happen when a 

pilot "gl)es to sleep" during landings and 

take-offs. One, demonstrating a plane with 

its nose "biting the earth." has the capo. 

tion: lI:J3ig feet, 11ttle jua.gment." 

Another, of a smashed landing gear is 

accompanied by the comment that the pIlot 

made a "nice landing, but at 50 feet above 

the ground. 1I 

ed in road.1I 

Failure of a pilot to shift mixtures on 

the aircraft engine was blamed for a mishap 

which was responsible for wing crumpling. 

"Empty void between earphones ll was the ironical 

comment. 

IIEyesbut no vision" was the cause described 

for another mishap where a student pilot 

allowed the propeller of his plane to eat 

away the wing of another plane. 

Most mishaps in flight training are attributed 

to human failure, and students who 

persist in such obviously stupid IItricks" 

must be removed from further training. 

Accidents in which flyers are injured are 

very rare at Randolph Field. In all mishaps 

covered by the pictures, the only damage was 

to the aircraft. 

---000--- 

MURALS AT SCOTT FIELD 

Two outstanding Chicago artists, greduates I 

of its famous Art Institute, designed murals 

for the walls of the general headquarters 

building at Scott Field, Ill. 

Ralph Hendrickson, who designed the mural 

for the courtroom in the general headquar .• 

ters building, has had a brilliant career 

as a painter, winning the Robert Jenkins 

Memorial prize in 1935, also the American 

Travelling Scholarship and the European 

Travelling Fellowship. His murals for Scott 

Field, chosen from four sketches s1lbmitted, 

symbolically depict a trainee, represented 

by a central figure, being inducted into 

the service. Grouped around the central 

figure, service men- are represented working 

in the various branches of the Army. An 

American eagle in the foreground represents 

the Army Air Forces. 

Equally famous in this phase of art is 

Miss Mildred Waltrip, whose mural will be 

placed in the lobby of the general headquarters 

building. Miss Waltrip, after gradu.- 

ating from the Chicago Art Institute, won 

both the resident fellowship and the $2,000 

travelling fellowship. She studied inEurope 

in 1934 and later at the New Bauhaus in 

Chicago. Her mural will be painted in three 

large panels and is to depict the history 

of aviation, from mythological experiments 

to the present modern stage. Showing the 

first experiments by Leonardo Da Vinci, 

early French balloon flights, including the 

Picards' ascent into the stratosphere, it 

will end with a painting of a modern bombing 

plane. . 

---000--- 

Featuring the recent celebration of Aviation 

Cadet week in St. Louis, Mo., wae an 

hour-long parade of 175 marching uni ts, including 

38 bands. The Scott Field Aviation 

Jo. })hotograph of a plane on a highway near Cadets were judged the best appearing outthe 

Held with its landing gear and wings fi t in the parade, and the Radio School's 

damaged, ~ears the following caption: "Ran- float a silver-colored model airplane 8Cdolph 

Fleld too small for this pilot-land- tual size, evoked much favorable commend. 

-18-

......J .... _ ...... 

A rest camp for enlisted men of the Ar~ 

Air Forces has been established on the 

shores of. lake in the Olympic National 

Forest at an old cce camp 70 miles northwest 

of the air base at McCtord Field, Wash. 

repairs to the buildings was met from the 

Educational and Recreational Fund, not by 

the government. 

A permanent force of about ten cooks and 

caretakers from McChord Field will be on 

The camp has accommodations forlOQ e~ duty at the camp during the recreation 

listed men a week, who will be classified season. Officers in charge will be rotated 

as being on regular duty- not leavo - while and organizations at the field will pro-rate 

they are at the .summer resort.- However, 

the only duty to which they will be assign- the number of men to attend the campt so 

ed while there will be the bare minimum re- that activities at the field will no be 

quired to keep the camp in good condition. slowed or otherwise hampered. 

Carl B. Neal, supervisor of the forest, The floor of the large, rustic recreation 

granted McChord Field permission to use bar- hall at the camp was put into shape for 

racks, mess hall, recreation bUilding and dancing, and a branch of the McChord Field 

other structures formerly occupied by the Post EXchange was set up in the structure. 

CCC youths. Fifteen enlisted men, under the Aside from dancing and spending canteen 

supervision of Lieut. K. ~. McCamman, spent checks, recreational facilities include 

several weeks getting the rest camp in hiking, boating, fishing, volley ball, badreadiness 

for the summer season. Cost of minton, horseslioe pitching and loafing. 

-000-- 

THE BIG BABY SOLOED 

The History 

(Continued from page 3 ) 

In this country, we were differently situated 

and, due to our magnificent isolation, 

we elected to plan for an air arm based upon 

a bomber fleet capable of meeting the se~ 

borne eneJll1' out at sea at a distance greater 

than the operating radius of his carrierborne 

striking force. We even expected to 

meet him several days further away and harass 

his approach or even carry the war 

across great distances to strike at his ~ 

guarded weaknesses and economic life. These 

basic tactical bombing radii seemed to preclude 

the possibility of escorting fighters, 

and so we suspended our work along that 

line, as exemplified by the P-30 series and 

elected to have all our bombers fight their 

way along. 

So, for years we planned and dreamed until 

our small painful achievements became 

such realities that, when added up in the 

year 1931, we were able to shape up the prototype 

design of our first modern tactical 

bomber. 

This construction problem was undertaken 

by Boeing as the :B-15. In those days, a 

75,000 lb. design was a grave undertaking, 

and to enhance its chances of ~lccess the 

Boeing Company elected to bring out a smaller 

version which would prove some of the 

str~ctural and aerodynamic problems for the 

:B-15, as well as their new proposed transport 

designs. In addition, the Service waS 

clamoring for an improved version of the 

by-then Service Tes~ :8-10 bomber series. 

B-15 and B-17 Proven Successful 

Thus, while the :B-15 was being constructed, 

the so-called "Flying Fortress" or :B-17 

was built and proved so successful that its 

true purpose waS lost sight of. Instead of 

remaining as an aerodynamic laboratory specimen 

for real development tests, it was 

rushed into production by pressure of events, 

lacking suitable offensive and defensive 

armament or armor •. We, like Germany, con- This meant 

-19- 

sidered this justifiable, due to 

unequaled speed at altitude. 

that no fighters could combat a 

of these bombers. 

the :B-17's 

It seemed 

formation 

Then the B-15 wag completed, although the 

engines laid down for the basic design had 

not yet reached the production stage, and 

therefore, meanwhile, the only reliable engines 

available had to be installed in order 

to flight-test the airplane. These tests, 

even with this partial power available, were 

very successful and the B-15 established 

several world's records. The big bomber 

was a proven succes8--all nations rushed to 

produce them. We only partly utilized this 

chance to make this airplane a flight laboratory 

and solve many pending problem8 of 

armament, etc. The present European War 

had not yet broken out to bring home the 

magni tude of these problems wi th startling 

impact. 

World's Largest Bomber Begun 

However, in America we had already conceived 

the design of the first real hemisphere 

defense bomber, and in 1935 our basic 

design was used as the basis for secret design 

competition limited to some of our 

largar aircraft manufacturers. The completed 

detailed engineering data proposals 

from these companies were evaluated and two 

companies were awarded contracts to complete 

their detail designs through the mock-up 

staie, and to submit a complete engineering 

study including a stress analy1lis and complete 

wind tunnel tests. 

In 1936, after all these data were eval~ 

ated, the tremendous full scale mock-ups inspected 

by a board of officers and the wind 

tunnel data rechecked at the Materiel Division 

laboratories, the Douglas Aircraft 

Company was adjudged the winner and a contract 

was consummated for the construction 

of the world's largest bomber. The Air 

Corps undertook to produce 8imul taneously 

the required government-furnished equipment. 

engines of greater power than

~ ....u c;". ....O ",IE;U\"rg--ov .QClrfOJ '" ...." \JVV .u..,tIe -ga,,,,u-- 

auxiliary power plants for 30 kws. of eleetricity--wheels 

so large that no company 

in America possessed the equipment to make 

them, as they required the largest a.luminum 

castings ever made in America. When they 

were completed, they were 96 inches (eight 

feet) in diameter. 

Special Equipment 

Developed 

Control systems had to be engineered tllat 

would permit a puny human manually to fly 

this monster. We had to develon special 

radio equipment, utilizing new ideas, capable 

of transmitting messages in all weather 

for 5,000 miles or more. Many similar problems 

were painfully worked out. 

The tide of human affairs ebbed and f'I owed 

many times during these past five years to 

1941. Many -people had sought to have the 

project dropped, saying that we did not need 

such huge, expene tve machines that could fly 

8,000 miles or more across oceans with tons 

of bombs, and with enough guns and men on 

board to defend it. They said small, fast 

mosqUito bombers were the thing. They were 

cheaper and did not put all ~~r eggs in one 

basket. They said the enemy must come to 

US. 

Still we carried on this enormous laboratory 

project with the hope that theinformation 

it would disclose would some day help 

us select the proper prornlction articles 

for our Air Force. World events have forced 

our hand, meanwhile, and before our prototype 

has been tested we have initiated a 

greatly expanded bomber program. 

Need For Powerful Bomber Force Apparent 

By now we have seen enough in the present 

European War to convince us all that we were 

correct in building our Air Forces around 

the bombing airplane, as it is only their 

use of that weanon that decisive action can 

be taken against an enemy nation. We must 

have a powerful bomber force. 

This force must, however, be balanced to 

meet all conditions against all targets at 

all ranges. Some bombers must be for very 

long range work; others can be for shorter 

range employment as conditions and theatres 

quickly shift in warfare. Soon we shall 

see if the B-19 is really the prototype of 

the heaVY bomber type we need for the American 

defense of our hemisphere with its vast 

distances and far-flung frontiers. Does it 

represent the "American Way?" We shall 

hope so. 

The Flight 

(Continued from page 3 ) 

Slowly the ship be~an to move down the runway--very 

slowly, it must have seemed to 

those watching, but with a tremendous surge 

of power to those on board. 

Considerably before the estimated distance 

had been traveled, the hu.e:emachine was lunging 

to get aloft. Maj. Umstead was holding 

it down--65,70, 75 miles an hao~. 

It was drawing near the huge crowd--tho~ 

-20- 

tiIIa.uu.g v. ¥,VUP""'Q--".u..tW.u. QUw .....L-...-.'Vu.. IJUlClIGUu. VoL 

the field, massed solid for blocks in every 

direction as fe:r as the eye could see. 

When the pilot eased back on the controls, 

would it fly or would it crash ingloriously 

into the massed public? Many came to see a 

Roman hol:l.day,probably, and perhaps their 

unexpressed wishes '''auldbe granted. 

Climbs 

~ickly he pushed the wheel forward, then 

eased the controls into a normal rate of 

climb. This Caused the bomber apparently 

to hesi tate--to fal ter uncertainly in flight. 

Such was far from true--the lightness of 

the controls and the tremendous power of 

8,000 horses were difficult to adjust to 

the feel of the pilot's hands in the first 

few seconds. 

We were off, having used only 1,800 feet 

of the runway. and it was apparent that we 

could have left the ground much sooner. 

Gathering speed she climbed rapidly, crossing 

the end of the runway high in the air 

with a great excess of speed. The engines 

were throttled back, but the landing gear 

could not be retracted because, for this 

flight, the landing chassis was faired in. 

flShe's An 

Like A Fighter 

But when Maj. Umstead moved the controls, 

pulling the wheel back ever so lightly, he 

discovered that he was flying a pursuit 

plane--not a bomber--for the huge machine 

came off with a TUsh, climbing at a tremendous 

rate. 

Airplane" 

It was immediately clear, to the great 

relief of all on board, that we were flying 

in e.. real airplane, abnormal only in its 

size and potentialities. 

Circling out over the ocean, then back 

over ad.jacent Los Arl.gelesAirport, the EI 

Segundo factory of the Douglas Company and 

the waiting crowd took but a few moments 

for so fast a ship. 

As we had cleared the runway, we were attended 

by six P-40 fighters from Hamilton 

Field which were to clear the way and insure 

that th.re would be no interference from 

blundering or otherwise misguided airplanes. 

With this escort in close formation, we proceeded 

on schedule directly to Me:rch Field. 

We flew at approximately 4,000 feet, fIring 

at greatly reduced speed as we tried 

out the various controls and forces, ~l~ 

becoming more and more satisfied, as our 

tests and quick inspections proceeded, that 

everything waS ~~ctioning as planned. The 

view from the windows of the many gun turrets 

~ave assurance that here was a bomber 

that could and would be defended. The long 

trip back to the tail gun turret to check 

the tail controls seemed the last long mile 

when undertaken shortly after take-off, but 

so satisfyingly qolid and quiet was the 

journey that when the inspector once had arrived 

at the extreme stern posiCion, the return 

journey WaS completed in a much lighter 

frame of mind. 

At last, everyone aboard serene, we ap-

------- ----- -----.. ---- --- -- --0 

questions--How would she land? How would 

she handle? As large as March Field is, 

would it be big enough? How was the wind? 

Reassuring messages from the control tower 

reported that ever-considerate nature 

had swung the wind obligingly down the main 

ranway. The way was cleared-all airplanes 

vere down. 

Completing a long, circling approach, we 

turned straight back for the field, diminishing 

our speed. We landed surprisingly 

Short, even though we knew we were at least 

30 tons light. No actual Jar of contact 

with the ground could be noticed; it was 

d1fficul t to know when we had actually land.- 

ed. 

Slowly the huge plane settled down onto 

its nose wheel. Gently the pilot applied 

the brakes, wondering if they were all right 

after all these weeks. They were. 

Q;uickly we turned about, taxied back up 

the runway to the hangars, reached our parking 

position and cut the switches. There we 

were--success at last. A quick look at the 

clock--12.55 p.m. 

Detailed tests of the myriad mechanisms 

wi th which this plane is equipped will continue 

for some time. These are items which 

must be completed by the manufacturer, as 

they form a part of the Douglas Company's 

contract. As soon as these hours of test.- 

ing are completed, final acceptance will be 

made by the Materiel Division and the ai~ 

plane will proceed to Wright Field for further 

checking, testing and development. It 

will then become in fact the flying laboratory 

which it was designed to be. As the 

progenitor of its plan, a long life and a 

happy one] 

---000--- 

REORGANIZATION OF THE AEMY AIR CORPS 

(Continued from page 8) 

the Chief of the Air Corps need be given, 

since his duties remain very much the same 

as they have been. The duties of the Chief 

of the Air Force Combat Command il.'. general 

outline are about the same, but have been 

broadened to a considerable extent. 

For instance, the new regulations give 

him "control of all aerial operations of 

the Air Force Combat Command ••••• " Under 

the old order, this control was in the hands 

of General Headquarters. Similarly, he now 

has court-martial jurisdiction over all 

el,ments of the Air Force Combat Command, 

wh1ch he did not have before reorganization. 

Reorganization will have little personal 

effect on any individual officer or enlisted 

man, however~ except for those few who are 

assigned to .i1eadquartersArmy Air Forces or 

to fill any of the other new Jobs. The 

great majority will continue to do the jobs 

to which they already have been assigned, 

either in the Combat Command, the Air Corps 

or wherever they m~y be serving. 

The War Department's purpoee in 

... -- __..._.• --v"-". _'\#6""V_, AW\oi\l"~ 

to announcement. made at the time vas to 

promote air power while facilitating and 

ensuring "the Joint action of air, ground 

and naval forces which the progress of the 

present war is so clearly demonstrating." 

As an e~le of the waf it is supposed 

to work, Gen. :EGmOn8 is charged with the 

tactical training of oombat units of the 

Air Forces. These units may be assigned '0 

a task force, in which case they would op-. 

erate under the orders of the commander of 

the task force. On the foreign stations, 

they would operate under the department colilmander, 

while their training still would be 

the responsibility of the Chief of the C~ 

bat Command. 

Under the procedure outlined in Washington! 

it might be possible, however, for the 

ent1re Combat Command to be assigned to a 

task force commanded by a ground officer-- 

possibly even by a high-ranking Navy officer. 

In such an even tuali ty , of couree, 

the situation temporarily would be soDiewhat 

like conditions before reorganization, when 

what is now the Combat Command waS under the 

jurisdiction of General Headquarters. 

Explaining reorganization at a press conference 

in Washington, Gen. George C. Marshall, 

the Chief of Staff, said, however, 

that air uni ts assigned to a task force will 

not necessarily be commanded by a ground officer. 

The command function in any such 

force will be exercised, he said, by a senior 

officer of whichever arm--land, sea or air-- 

has the major responsibili ty in the particular 

task to which the force is assigned. 

Thus :Brig. General Henry"W. Harms, an air 

officer, has command of all elements of the 

Army in Newfoundland, air and ground alike, 

since the defenses of that area primarily 

are considered an air operation. Gen. Marshall 

used this situation as an example, and 

added that he anticipated the time when an 

Air Forces officer might have command of defense 

forces in Alaska, although they are 

under ground control at present. 

---000--- 

AIR CORPS SOLDIER WINS WEST POINT CADETSHIP 

An Air Corps enlisted man stationed at Albrook 

Field waS the winner of a competitive 

examination in which enlisted men from all 

mill tary posts in the Panama Canal Zone 

competed for an appointment to the United 

States Military Academy, and has received 

orders to report to West Point. 

The soldier was Pvt. Abraham M. Glase, 20, 

son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Glass! of Bal~ 

winsville N. Y. He enlisted n the Air 

Corps at Syracuse, N.Y., June 27 1940. Ca.- 

det Glass is a graduate of the BJ.dwinsville 

Academy and of the West Point Preparatory 

School at Corozal, Canal Zone. 

---000--- 

THE COVER 

The photOgl'a.phof the yaung gentleman on 

the cover, standing at the business end of 

a P-40 t 

was made available to The Air Corps 

Newa etter thro1J.8hthe courtesy of RUdy 

Arnold, well.-known photograoher of things 

creating aerial. 4 

-21-

VVl'.l\JIT 1 rlCLU 

LIDK.t\.K r ~r MtlULl~..t;t) 

AIR CORPS DEVELOPMENT 

The library at Wright Field was born amid 

the confusion and bustle of the first World 

War. At that time however Wright Field 

and the Materiel DIvision, ot which it is a 

part, were not in existence. We were situated 

at McCook Field and were known as the 

Engineering DiVision, On October ?, 1918, 

the first entry was made in the accession 

book, and by the time the Armistice was 

signed 1 350 entries had been made. At the 

end of 1~40, in the midst of again strengt.hening 

our defenses, we have over 13,000 books 

and almost 70,000 documents. At first the 

document file and the library were two separate 

units, but in 1926 they were combined 

and have so remained ever since. 

By 1927, MoCook Field had become too small 

for the engineering activities in progress 

there and the move was made to Wright Field. 

By th l s time the library was a lusty youngster, 

growing in importance to the officers 

and engineers eng8&ed in research and development 

work. 

Although essentially an aeronautical library, 

it is surprising how many fields of 

science that includes; and of course, in 

order to answer all questions, books and 

magazines on these subjects must b4 OD.hand. 

About one-third of the over 100 magazines 

on the subscription list are foreign publications. 

One will find on the shelves books 

on p~sics and mechanics, radio and electrical 

engineering, thermodynamics, optics, 

chemistry, strengtn of materials and metallurgy, 

engines--internal combustion as well 

as Diesel, photography and naVigation. The 

books on mathematics are pretty well worn 

through constant use. There are now being 

added medical books for the workers in the 

physiological research laboratory who stQdy 

the effects on pilots of flying eapecial~ 

at high altitudes. These are sutjects which 

most people do not even associate with the 

subject of aeronautics. There are on hand, 

of course, thOle books most often thought 

of when aeronautics is mentioned! covering 

aerodynamics, aircraft construct on, propellers, 

etc. These are only part of the 

subjects covered in the library, for aeronautical 

engineering embodies many fields 

of science and Materiel Division engineers 

come to the library to supplement their 

knowledge and to ascertain what has been 

done in a given field. 

Many times we are asked for "everything 

you have' on a certain subject and, after 

hours of searchin£, we are forced to admit: 

'nothing at all w--for the idea is a new 

one. At other tImes, data is collected to 

enable the engineers to select such as are 

of importance to them. Their possession of 

such aata obviates the possibill ty of undertaking 

tests, inTolving both time and money, 

which had already been carried out by aomeone 

else. By following the trend of requests 

from thes~ engineers and the growth of the 

library, one can follow the growth and development 

of aeronautics. One day, requests 

started coming in for data on pressure ves- 

.els and an intensive search was in&U8Ul'ated 

who has not heard of sub-stratosphere flying' 

Aerod~mic characterls ticsllUst be tested 

in a wind tunnel, and when the new 2D-foot 

wind tunnel was proposed it was to the 11- 

brart that the engineers came for data. What 

kind ot tuDnel. did Tariau. oountries have? 

.And 80, anoth.r intend". seuch was started, 

which resulted in unearthing descriptions of 

wind tunnels all over the world. what they 

can do and how they operate. . 

What kind of bombs are in use abroad and 

how offective are they' Our reports which 

come from allover the world keep the men 

in touch with what is going on. 

The parachute which has saved so IIIaZl7 

lives, was devel~ped at Wri~t Field: and 

so our reports on strength of Bilk and testing 

of silk were consulted as were the re- 

~~rts of rates of descent of falling bodies. 

The parachute has pl~ed a dramatic role in 

this latest War, and our own Army Air Corps 

is developing equipment for the Infantry 

parachute troop units. And so, in its small 

and roundabout way the library has also 

played its part in this element of military 

activity. 

In practically every phase of research 

the Army Air Corps has conducted, the engineers 

have at some stage in its development 

had recourse to the library. 

A staff of five in the library circulates 

about 4,000 books~ magaZines, and documents 

each month to 1,lu3 borrowers. And so this 

infant of the fust World War has grown up 

to take its place in aiding our national 

defense. 

- Hope Thomas 

---000--- 

ENLIS!JiID MD' TRAIN FOR COMMISSIONS 

Four men from Scott F.ield~ Ill., were accepted 

into the Army's ofdeer cand.idate 

schools to receive training entitling thea 

to commissions as second lieutenants in the 

Officers' Reserve Corps. They were chosen 

from an original claes of 21 selected for 

officer training as a reward for excellent 

performance of their duties D thus typifT1ng 

the A1'm;yt 8 system of opportimi ty for promotion 

based on merit. 

Of the four men,Tech.Sgt. Richard Stricklin, 

Staff Sgts. Rich8.rd JI. Tankersley. 

George J•Ford and Pvt. Xenne th O. Wallender ~ 

the first-named will attend classes in th8 

Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga. L for 

training in modern and mechanized warrare, 

while the remaining three will undergo training 

in 8i~ communications at 70rt Monmouth, 

H. J. 

-000-- 

.APPROXIMATE STRENGTH OF THE .ARMY AIR FORCES 

(Me.\'31, 1941) 

on t~t subject. Not long thereafter,TUmors Officers. Regular •••••.•.••.••••..•. 2,380 

vere heard of a stratosphere plane with a Officers, Reserve on active duty.... 8,300 

pressurized cabin, and sometime later the Aviation Cadets in training •••••.•.. 8,700 

Lockheed Xe-Z5 was an actual fact. And now Enlisted Men ••••..•.••.............. 126.700 

-2.3-

THE JOB OF AIR CORPS TEST PILOTS 

Much of the d8.Il&erhas been engineered out 

of the test pilots' job since 1903 when the 

first test pilot, Orville Wright, made the 

first successful test flight in the first 

airplane. 

SO SB¥ the highly trained group of Air 

Corps test pilots at Wright which each year 

makes hundreds of test flights in more kinds 

of airplanes than are tested by any other 

single organization in this country. 

Records of the aviation industry through 

the years in which the airplane was transformed 

from a county fair novelty to a production 

article substantiate this viewpoint. 

Engines are reliable. Wind tunnels have 

brushed countless bugs out of new designs. 

Structural testing proves the design strel18th 

of experimental military airplanes before 

they are flown. Speaking as airmen who have 

flown scores of different airplanes in hundreds 

of hours of test flights, the test pilots 

sB¥ that airplanes have become standardized. 

Laborator, engineers do not agree that the 

test pilots JOD is as ea~y as falling off 

a log and about as dangerous. Quoting a 

representative opinion of an aeronautical 

engineer -There are only two kinds of airplanes-those 

that fly and those that don't. 

Engineers. in laboratories and factories, 

can only a.evelop an airplane so far and then 

it takes a test pilot to prove whether we 

were right or wrong.- 

To illustrate his point, he cited pertinent 

questions surrounding the first flight 

of the world's largest airplane the XB-I9, 

with Maj. Stanley M. Umstead, t~e Air Corps 

chief test pilot, at the controls. 

-The first question about this new 82-ton 

airplane is~ will it fly? We are certain it 

will, but Maj. Umstead will have to prove 

that we are r Lght , The insurance premium 

for the first minute of flight has been 

placed at $82.000. Odds Llke that, 13 to 1, 

are not quotea. for sure things. OUr figures 

show that the XB-19 can be taken out of the 

comparatively small Clov~r Field. But can 

itT There is no precedent to go by in this 

case. Imagine placing yourself in the position 

of test pilot of the XB-19, responsible 

for 3-1/4 million dollars worth of experimental 

airplane and the lives of the crew 

as well as your own.- 

Th&t is the WB¥ the job looks to engineers 

on the ground and probably to the earthbound 

publio. Sitting in the cockpit, absorbed in 

his duties it strikes the test pilot as 

naive to ~elieve that he executes flight 

tests in a perpetua.l state of thrills, dil.nger 

and raw courage when he has made hundreds 

of such flights as a routine part of 

his job. 

the development of military aircraft and 

equipment Is based on three key factors: 

first the flight instructions for each 

flight test are prescribed by project officers 

and engineers; the flight testing instruments 

used are the best obtainable and 

the methods of recording the results of 

flight tests are standardized; and third, 

the test pilots and flight observers are the 

product of uniform training. 

Under this system engineers have found that 

the results are depeIrlable. Flying the same 

test in the same airplane, five Air Corps 

test pilots would get much nearer the same 

data than would five outside test pilots chosen 

at random. 

New test pilots are selected, not by personal 

application, but from recommendations 

fil tering through the service grapevine from 

other pilots. The preferred prospect, who 

apparently possesse~ the makings of a good 

test pilot, is one who has considerable flying 

experience in a variety of single-and 

multi-engine military airplanes; who has demonstrated 

cool judgment in tight r,pots 'and 

who has, in addi tion to the flying skil i common 

in all seasoned Air Cor:pspilots, an extra 

inheren t ablli ty wi th wh tch only a lucky 

few are blessed. 

Before a new test pilot is permitted to 

take regular flight test assignments there 

is an intervening -practice- period of from 

two to three months. Guided by the Manual 

for Test Pilots, he makes flight tests in an 

older service a1rplane and records the data 

in the same fashion as do regular test pilots 

when flying standard performance tests 

in new airplanes. Flight engineers compare 

the novice1s data with the official performance 

data secured on that particula.r type of 

airplane when it first went into service. 

The new pilot is assigned to regular flight 

test work only after he can consistently return 

accurate data from any of the many different 

kinds of flight tests. 

During t~e -practice" period the beginner 

becomes intimately familiar wit~ the 17 items 

which compose the complete standard performance 

t est which is used by the Me.teriel Division 

to determine 1trhetheran experimental 

airplane meets minimum requirements,or whether 

a production airplane comes up to the 

performance guaranteed by the manufacturer. 

The fundamentals of a performance testinclude 

calibration of the ~ir speed meter; 

determination of high speeds at various altitudes, 

and of cruisine, or operating, 

speeds; saw-tooth climbs; check climbs; takeoff 

and landing charact erLs tt cs ; eneine cooling 

tests; various tests of military equipment, 

and pilot's observations. 

These techn1.

from 50 to 75 hours of flight tests per month 

are about all a test pilot can withstand and 

remain physically fit. 

To calibrate an air speed meter, the teat 

pilot makes at least five two-way runs aver 

a measured course at an alti tude of about 25 

feet. The runs are made at approximately 

equal intervals between the high speed and 

the minimum safe flyi~g speed of the airplane. 

It 1s vitally 1.lIJportant to keep the 

air speed and altimeter readings constant 

during each run. If the pilot finds that 

the speed has changed after entering the 

course he immediately turns out and starts 

over. :l:achof the runs is timed with a stopwatch. 

The times, together with the indicated 

air speeds and free air temperature., 

are later converted to calibration speeds by 

applying temperature-pressure corrections 

for the whole speed range of the airplane. 

In the speed runs, the limits of precision 

in determining horizontal s~eed at sealevel 

or at altitude must be withln plus or minus 

one per cent. 

The cruising speed is determined by using 

the nor~l rated power of the engine, not 

to exceed a maximum of 75 per cent. 

Saw-tooth climbs are so named because the 

tracings on the barograph record of a properly 

executed saw-tooth climb look like saw 

teeth. They are employed to determine the 

indicated speed at which the maximum rate 

of climb occurs at different altitudes. The 

maximum rate is obtained by climbing the 

airplane through specified altitude ranges 

a.tvarious speeds, wi th full power. 

.Check climbs establisb the true rate of 

climb from sea level to the airplane's service 

ceiling, the point at which the rate of 

climb drops off to 100 feet per minute. In 

this test, the airplane is climbed steadily 

to its service ceiling at the indicated 

speeds established for each zone by the sawtooth 

climb. Readings recorded for a check 

climb are free air temperature, r. p. m., 

manifold pressure, and carburetor air temperature. 

Time and pressures are recorded by a 

barograph, and all data are coordinated with 

pressure altitude. 

The Air Corps definition of a test pilot 

is a pilot who is able to run full standard 

performance tests on any airplane. To measure 

up, the student test pilot still has 

more tests to master. 

pilot first flies for 30 minutes in level 

flitdlt at 2,000 feet, with military load and 

full power. Then he pulls into a climb and 

continues at best climbing speed to within 

2,000 feet of the service ceiling. Afterward 

a ground cooling test is obtained at 60 per 

cent of the ground r.:o.m. permissible. 

Those are the basic flight testing methods 

which the rookie test pilot practices for 

two or three months, and do not include the 

tests of air intake and exhaust systems, 

carbon monoxide tests; radio interference; 

armament; navi~ution lnstruments, and nigh~ 

tests of lightlng equipment. 

The final requirement is to fill out r.Pilot's 

Observations "a lengthy questionnaire 

which inquires about the airplane's controllability 

stability, trim, balance, maneuverability, 

interior arrangements of equipment 

and contrQls, and all-around characteristics 

in the air and on the ground. Approximately 

157 questions must be answered. 

By studying the "Manual for Test Pilots' 

and talking with the other test ~ilots. the 

newcomer is ready for regular fllght tests 

after 10 or 12 weeks of practice. On an 

average, six months more are required to 

turn him into a seasoned test pilot taking 

his regular turn in rotation with t~e other 

test uilots in the more difficult flight 

test assignments. 

Due to the fatigue which follows a test 

flight to extreme altitude, a test pilot is 

not ordinarily expected to take more than 

one high altitude flight in one day but 

frequently he will take a number of dIfferent 

types of airplanes up for test flights 

on the same day. In one way of thinking 

an Air Corps test uilot is a highly traine! 

specialist- he must also be amazi~~ versatile 

in tkt his next assignment for flight 

test may bea 3D-ton, four-engine bomber, a 

tiny half-ton short-range liaison airplane, 

or any type between. Tne effective horsepower 

he controls may increase from a mere 

65 to 6,000 h.p. or more. 

It is not uncommon to find 40 or more 

different airplanes ready for flitdlt tests 

at one time. Typically they would include 

light, heavy and medium bombers, single- and 

twin-engine pur suits, observation, photographic 

and cargo airplanes, and a variety 

of basic combat transition, advance, basic 

and primary tra t ning airplanes. 

Routine flight tests of new development 

equipment are being made constantly at Wright 

Field by project officers as well as test 

pilots. In the equipment flight tests, the 

project officer is interested primariLy in 

recording the functioning of the new equipment 

under maximum operating conditions. 

Air Corps equipment is developed in a group 

of laboratories at Wright Field. There is 

an excusable misconceution that military 

airplanes and equipment are manufactured 

here, although none is for service use. Exr;>erimentalequipment 

is fabricated only when 

it cannot be obtained commercially without 

undue del~. 

Requests for routine flight tests of equipment 

ori~nate in the Production Engineering 

and the Experimental Engineering Sections. 

Some of the latter's laboratories contain 

laboratories within laboratories. 

Involving more real hazard than some of 

the more spectacular tests, take-off and 

landing tests are executed under maximum 

operating conditions on or near the ground. 

The object is to establish the minimum distances 

wi thin which an airplane can takeoff 

and clear a 50-foot obstacle. and come 

to a stop after landing over a 50-foot obstacle. 

In the take-off tests flaps are 

eet at ~arl~8 p~.itions, from lully closed 

to fully open, to determine the best flap 

posi tlon for a minimum run and getting the 

airplane off the ground and over a 50-foot 

obstacle as quickly as possible. The landing 

tests are just the reverse--landing the 

airplane and braking it to a stop as soon 

as possible after passing over a 5D-foot 

obstacle. The landing and take-off characteristics 

reveal, among other things, the 

minimum size of the base from which the airplane 

can be operated. The Power Plant Laboratory. for instance, 

consists of 25 '\U1its.each 8peci~idng in 

During the engine cooling tests, the test (Continned on page 25) 

-24-

A ... .&. ... "'.....J.....J -.,.,................ .. ""_ -.J .-.J_ 

The transfer of 33 Air Corps uni ts to newly 

established flying schools has been ordered 

to augment training units stationed at 

the schools. The additional troops were 

provided to step up training under the 30, Opilot 

program. 

Air Base Group Leaves 

Scheduled to move from Maxwell Field,A1a., 

to the basic flying school at Macon, Ga., 

are the 32lst, 322nd and 323rd School Squadrons 

and the Seventy_First Air Base Group, 

comprising the Headquarters and Headquarters 

Squadron (Special) , Sixty-First Air Base 

Squadron (Special) and the Seventy-Seventh 

Materiel Squadron. 

Materiel Squadrons Move 

Moving from Kelly Field, Tex •• to thebasic 

flying school at Taft, Calif. ,on July 15, 

~e the Seventy-Ninth Materiel Squadron 

lSpecial) and the 329th School Squadron. 

The basic flying school at Bakersfield, 

Calif., is to receive on July 15, the 326th 

School Squadron from Moffett Field, Calif., 

and 327th School Squadron from Kelly Field, 

Texas. 

Uni ts moving to the advanced flying school 

at Mather Field, Calif., on July 15 are the 

333rd and 335th School Squadrons and the 

Seventy-Seventh Air Base Group (Special), 

compri sing the Headquarters and Headquarters 

Squadron, Sixty-Seventh Air Base and Eighty- 

Scheduled to move from BroOks Field, Texas, Third Materiel Squadron from Stockton, Calto 

Las Vegas, Nev., on July 5 are the Fifti- if., and from Randolph Field, Texas, seven 

eth, Fifty-First and 351st School Squadrons, School Squadrons, number 336 to 342 incluand 

the Seventy-lHnth Air Base Group (Spe- sive. 

cia!) , comprising the Headquarters and Head- The approximate strength of the School 

quarters Squadron, Seventieth A.ir Base and Squadrons and the Materiel Squadrons are 200 

Eighty-Fourth Materiel Squadron; and on Ju- men each; the Headquarters Squadrons, 140 men 

ly 10, the 352nd and 353rd School Squadrons. each, and Air Base Squadrons, 150 men each. 

THE JOB OF TEST PILOTS 

(Continued from page 24) 

the various cor.rponentsof an aircraft engine, 

such as ignition, carburetion, cooling systems, 

etc., and enormous dynamometer an~ 

torque stand laboratories are included in 

this organization. The Aircraft Laboratory, 

in addition to aerodynamic, design, flutter 

study and other uni ta, includes two wind 

tunnel laboratories, a giant high-speed wind 

tunnel in construction, a brake-tire-wheel 

testlng laboratory, and a large structures 

laboratory. 

Similarly, laboratories wi thin laboratories 

are neces sary in the Pho togrs.phicLaboratory, 

concerned with the development of new lens, 

emulsions and camer-ae used in aerial. photography; 

in the Equipment Laboratory, where 

aero medical research, parachutes, oxygen 

equipment, navigation instruments, atrdrome 

equipment and sccres of kindred development 

projects are directed; the Propeller Laboratory 

with huge outdoor test rigs; the Armament 

Lab with its firing range: and the Aircraft 

Lab with its numerous mobile labora- 

.tories on wheels all are intricately organized. 

ObViously, the volume of test flight requests 

initiated in these laboratories is 

large, and constitutes an additional burden 

on the test pilots even though paxt of the 

load is taken by project officers. 

---000--- 

the danger has been engineered out of the 

test pilots l job, but the danger of mechanical 

failures 1s still present in test 

flights. 

---000--- 

SWITCH OF LOWRY FIELD PERSONNEL TO WICHITA 

Approximately 400 officers and enlisted 

men will be transferred from Lowry Field to 

the new Air Corps Aviation Mechanics School 

at Wichita FedIs, Texas, beginning August 1. 

The personnel will comprise the administrative 

unit for the new training center. 

The Denver contingent will be the first 

large group ordered to the school, where 

thousands eventually will undergo training. 

Replacements for the men swi tched from Lowry 

to the Texas School already have started 

arriving at Denver, with 764 additional men 

scheduled to arrive by troop train from 

eastern replacement centers before the administrative 

personnel all are transferred. 

Chanute Field will furnish the services, 

including Finance, ~termaster and Ordnance, 

and Colpnel Edward C. BlaCk, of the 

Illinois air station, will be the commanding 

officer at Wichita. Major Charles Martin, 

of the Twenty-Second School Squadron, 

at Lowry. will be in charge of the truck 

convoy by which the Lowry men will move to 

Texas. 

---000--- 

Engineers and test pilots agree .chat flight 

tests are more hazardoas than conventional 

flights aince either new equipment or a new Smashing all previous flying time records 

airplane is involved. If one hour of flight, for Randolph Field, the 53rd School Squadron 

or 20 or 50 hours are safely passed, it is during May flew more than a million miles 

still the first 50 hours on that particular for a total flying time of 8 285 hours. This 

equipment or airplane and there 1s no posi- eclipsed the previous all-time one squadron 

tin assurance "that it will hold up under record of 7 377 hours established last Jazm,.. 

the streas of flight for 51 hours. Much of ary by the 52d School Squadronat this field. 

-25-

I )( 8 U 1l A )( C S ~ M:>nthly Quar;terly Semi-Aimual .Am1ual 

25 $2.12 $6.34 $12.64. $25.10 

l4ilitary Pers~l Division 

'26 2.15 6.~3 12.82 25.45 

27 2.19 6.55 ]3.06 25.93 

The National Service Life Insu.rance .Act was signed 28 2.23 6.67 13.30 26.40 

on October 8, 1940. It provided that the insU1'8Zl.Ce 29 2.27- 6~79 l3.54 26.87 

was issued as a five-year level premium term con- 

30 

tmct 

2.31. 6.91 1.3."8 

and that it could be converted at ~ time af- 

27.~~5 

ter one year and before expiration of the five years 

31 2.31 6.91 13.78 27.35 

to Eiithe.!'Ordi13a1'y Life, Twec.ty P~t Life or 

32 2.39 7.15 14.25 28.30 

Thirty PEI\Y'Dl8l1t Life. On October 8, 1941, the first 

33 2.44 7.30 14.55 28.39 

policies will be one year' old and eligible for 

34 2.49 ".45 14.85 29.48 

COQ- 

By loajor Waddell r. Smith, Air Co1ps, - 

version. The following tables quote the rates on' 35 2•.5., 7.5? .15.00 29.95 

the three available fol'llll3Ṗates for ages :got quat- 36 2.59 '1.75 15.44 30.66 

ed. will be furnished by the VeteTa:DS Administration 37 2.64. 7.90. 15..74. 31.25 

upon direct request. 

38 2.70 8.08 1.6.10 31.97 

OBDIJIABfLtD 39 2.76 8.26 l6~46 32.68 

. - 

Premium Bates for $1,000 40 2.82 8.44 ,,'3.82 33.39 

41 2.88 8.62 17.17 34.10 

~ M:mtW Quarterly Semi-Annual Amxual 42 2.95 8.83 17.59 :34.92 

- 

18 $1.18 $3.53 $7.04 $13.97 

43 3.02 9.04 1.8.01 35.75 

19 1.20 3.59 7~16 -14.21- 44 3.10 9.28 18.49- 36.'70 

-.. 

20 1.23 3.6B 7.33 

45 

14.56 

3.18. 9.52_ 1.8.96 37.65 

21 1.25 3.74 7.45 14.80 46 3.2.7 9.79 "9 •.50 38.71. 

22 1.28 3.83 7.63 15.15. 

47 3.36. 10 •.06 20.04- 39.78 

23 1.31 3.92 7.81 1.5.51 48 3.46 10.35 20.6:5 40.95 

24 1.34 4.01 7.99 1.5.86 

49 3.56 10.65 21..23 42.1~ 

50 3.67 JOoCl8 21..81< 43.4.., 

25 1.37 4.1.0 8.17 16.22 

26 1.41 4.22 8.41 16.69 

27 1.44 4.31 8.59 17.05 TRIm PAYMh1NTUPE 

28 1.48 4.43 8.83 17.52 Prerai.1.l111 rates £0>' $1.,000 

29 1.52 4.55 9.06 18.00 

~ !km.thly Quarterly Semi,.,A-onua.l 

30 1.56 4.67 

~ 

9.30 18.47 

31 1.60 4.79 9.54 

18 

18.94 

$1.49 $4.48 $8.89 $1.'1.64 

~2 1.65 4.94 9.84 19.53 

19 1.52 4.55 9.06 1.8.00 

33 1.69 5.06 10.08 20.01 20 1.54 4.61 9.1fi 18.23 

34 1.75 5.24 10.44 20.72 21 1.•.56 4.67 9.30 1.8.4":'_ 

35 1.80 5.39 10.73 21.31 22 1.59 4.'16 9.4R 18.82 

36 1.85 5.64 11.03 21.90 23 1.61. 4.82 9.60 19.06 

37 1.91 5.72 11.39 22.61 24 1.64 4.91 9."8 19.42 

38 1.98 5.93 11.81 23.44 25 1.67 5.00 9.96 19."7 

39 2.04 6.10 12.16 24.15 26 1.70 5.09 .o.r« 20.13 

40 2.12 6.34 

27 

12.64 

1.73 5.18 10.32 20.48 

25.10 

41 2.19 6.55 13.06 

28 1.76 5.27 1.0.50 20.84 

25.93 

42 29 

2.27 6.79 

1.79 

13.54 

5.36 L.O."'" 21.19 

26.87 

43 2.36 7.06 14.07 27.94 30 1.83 5.48 10.91 21.67 

44 2.45 7.33 14.61 29.01 31 l.8" 5.60 D.•l.5 22.1.4 

45 2.54 7.60 15.15 30.07 32 1.90 5.69 1,1.33 22.451 

46 2.64 7.90 15.74 31.25 33 1.95 5.84 11.6': 23.00 

47 2.75 8.23 16.40 32.56 34 1.99 5.96 H.R': 23.56 

48 2.87 8.59 17.11. 33.98 35 2.03 6.08 12.11 24.C3 

49 2.99 8.95 17.83 35.40 36 2.08 6.22 1.2.40 24.63 

50 3.12 9.34 18.61 36.94 37 2.13 6 3':' 12.70 25.22 

38 2.18 6.52 ),3.00 25.81 

TWmY P.ln.£Nr Ltl! 39 2.24 6.70 l3.3E 25.62 

Premium rates for $1,000 40 2.30 6.88 1.3.72 27.23 

41 2.37 7.09 1.4.13 .28.06 

~ !i:>nth1y 9;uarterly Semi-hmual Annual 42 2.43 7.

.All tb1'ee f01'lll8 of converted insurance will con- ktrf linal htry J'izW. ktrf I'iD&l 

ta,in a te.ble of s~r values cemsi8ting of cash Date pate Date Date -J)it .. Dat. 

or loan value. paid up i:Q8urance value and utended. Apr. 1 July 30 ~l Aug. 29 J\lXl.e 1 Stpt. 29 

insurance value. ,The premiU1118charged. for etD:¥ of 2 31 2 30 

. 2 

30 

these three converted. f01'lll8 of policies are lower 3 Aug. 1 3 31 3 Oct. 1 

tblm ert¥ obtainable old lixl.e legal reserve partici- 4 2 4 Sl!Pt. 1 4. 2 

pating insu:rBD.ce. Policyholdera will receive a sub- 

5 3 5 2 5 3 

stantial m:mual dividend which will further reduce 

6 4 6 3 6 

the cost of the WuraJ:I.C8. 10 other insurance 

7 5 7 

7 

" 

" 6 

.hould be considered. to be equal to these converted. 

8 6 8 5 8 6 

policies due to the low rat,es and dividends. 'rbe 

9 7 9 6 9 7 

table of cash and loan values and paid up EIZlli ex- 10 8 10 7 10 8 

tenAed inaurance values will be equal to or greater 

thrin obtainable iXl.ert¥ other comercial iXl.8uraJ:1.C8 11 9 11 8 11 9 

iss~at the 8&l1liage EIZlli 0Zl. the same pllm of iXI.- 12 10 12 9 12 10 

SU1'8Zl.Ce. 13 11 13 10 13 11 

14 12 14 11 14 12 

New NatiOD&l Service Lite IDSU1'Cl.C8Aelicatilli'a8 15 13 10 12 15. 13 

'!'he act authoridDg this insurence provides that 16 14 18 13 16 14- 

it lIlU8tbe applied for withiXl. 120 ~ (Xl.Ot four 17 15 17 14 17 15 

IIlOZl.tbs)of ilnucticm iXl.to the service or ext8Xl.8iOZl. 18 16 18 16 18 16 

of active duty'. By refereace to the followiDg table 19 17 19 16 19 17 

the last ~ 1.lp0Zl. which applicatiOZl. IlIli\Y be made and 20 18 20 17 20 18 

signed and put iJ:I., chazmels or t.he aai.l IlIli\Y be read5.- 

21 19 21 18 21 19 

ly obtained. 

22 20 22 19 22 20 

Daily '!'able Showing the Iast Deir of the Statut0rf 23 21 23 20 23 21 

120-De.Y Period :DuriXI.gWhich Acceptable ApplicatiOZl. 24 22 24 21 24 22 

For IXI.8unmce 'l1JIq be Submitt>ed. 25 23 2S- 22 2S- 23 

26 24 26 23 26 24 

ktrf Final. :Entry J'irlal Bntry liXl.&1 27 25 27 24 27 25 

Date Date Date Date Date Date 

28 26 28 26 28 26 

Jan. 1 ~ 1 Feb. 1 JUD.e1 ler. 1 Juo.e 29 29 27 29 26 29 27 

2 2 2 2 2 30 30 28 30 27 30 28 

3 3 3 3 3 July 1 31 28 

4 4 4 4 4 2 

5 5 5 5 5 3 

6 6 6 6 6 4 ED.try liDal kt17 J'iXI.al EXl.trf J'iXI.al 

7 7 7 7 7 5 Date Date Date Date Date Date 

8 8 8 8 8 6 July 1 Oct. 29 Aug. 1 ltov.29 Sept.l Dec. 30 

9 9 9 9 9 7 2 30 2 30 2 31 

10 10 10 10 10 8 3 31 3 Dec. 1 3 Jan. 1 

11 11 11 11 11 9 4 Nov. 1 4. 2 4. 2 

12 12 12 12 12 10 5 2 5 3 5 :3 

13 13 13 13 13 11.. 6 3 6 4 6 4 

14 14 14 14 14 12 7 4 7 5 7 5 

15 15 15 15 15 13 8 5 8 6 8 6 

16 16 16 16 16 14 9 6 9 7 9 7 

17 17 17 17 17 15 10 7 10 8 10 8 

18 18 18 18 18 16 11 8 11 9 11 9 

19 19 19 19 19 17 12 9 12 10 12 10 

20 20 20 20 20 18 13 10 13 11 13 11 

21 21 21 21 21 19 14 11 14 12 14 12 

22 22 22 22 22 20 15 12 15 13 15' 13 

23 23 23 23 23 21 16 13 16 14 16 14 

24 24 24 24 24 22 17 14 17 16 17 15 

25 25 25 25 25 23 18 15 18 16 18 16 

26 26 26 26 26 24. 19 16 19 17 19 17 

27 27 27 27 27 25 20 17 20 18 20 18 

28 28 28 28 28 26 2J. 18 21 19 21 19 

29 29 29 'rI 22 19 22 20 22 20 

30 30 30 28 23 20 23 21 23 21 

31 31 31 29 

24 21 24 22 24 22 

25' 22 25' 23 25' 23 

~ This T&ble beiXI.gconstructed for lebruary 26 23 26 24 26 24 

with 28 cUqs, the proper allowa:nce IIlUStbe 27 24 27 25 27 25 

made for leap year. 28 25 28 26 28 26 

-27-

Ibt17 J'ixlaJ. Entry J'inal lIhtry Final 

Date Date Date Date Date Date 

July 29 Hov.26 Aug.29 Dec.27 Sept.29 Ja:n..27 

30 27 30 28 30 28 

31 28 31 29 

Patterson Field headquarters building for the dura.- 

tion of the C8IIpaign. Thirty-three enlistlllelD.tswere 

c0llp1eted in the office «Xl the last dq of the campaign, 

recruiting clerks working at top speed to set 

the one-dav' record. 

Entry J'i.xIa1. JlD.try Final Entry J'iIlal 

Date Date Date Date Dat.e Date 

Oct. 1 Ja:n..29 Hov. 1 1iLr. 1- Dec. 1 1Br.3P 

2 30 2 2 2 Jrir. 1 

3 3l 3 3 3 2 

4 Feb. I 4 4 4 3 

5 2 5 5 5 4 

"'NOl'Jl:a 

6 :3 6 6 6 5 

7 4 7 7 7 6 

8 5 8 8 8 7 

9 6 9 9 9 8 

10 7 10 10 10 9 

11 8 11 1.1 11 10 

12 9 12 12 12 11 

13 10 13 13 13 12 

14 11 14 14 14 13 

15 12 15 15 15 14 

16 13 16 16 16 15 

17 14 17 17 17 16 

18 15 18 11& 18 17 

19 16 19 19 19 18 

20 17 20 20 20 19 

21 18 21 21 21 20 

22 19 22 22 22 21. 

23 20 23 23 23 22 

24 21 24 24 24 23 

25 22 25 25 26 24 

26 23 26 26 26 25 

27 24 27 27 27 26 

28 25 28 28 28 27 

29 26 29 29 29 28 

30 27 30 30 30 29 

31 28 31 30 

This Table being const.ructed. for February 

wit.h 28 d.:vs,the proper allowance must be 

madefor lea,p yeac. 

-000-- 

P.A.T'l'EB9ON J'IJ:ID Rl'aWITnn 

stX:CESSRlL 

At least two movie stars and a fall~lUjlmotion pieture 

dance director have accepted invitations to attElD.dgraduation 

exercises July 11 at the Air Corps 

AdvancedFlying School at Stockton lieU, Calif., for 

the student officers and aviation cadets of Class 

41-1. 

Joe E. Brownand Azldy Devine, the former fsm:m... 'l 

part:i.cular1.y for his mouthand the latter for what 

comesout of his throat in the way of a volce, are 

the mov.iecomedia:ASwho will. be on hand. '!'he dance 

director is I.eaoy Pr:\.m, whowas a pilot in 'orld 

'a!' I, and has not abandoned hi.s ol.d i.n+,e:rest in 

av.iati,on. 

Comedia:n. Flies Regul.a."!.'J.)'" 

Mr. Brownwill 'be on band, apa..t iTomhi,; enthusiasm 

for flying, because his son is a memberof the 

cla.ss. Aviation Cadet DonI. Brown. who holds a Reserve 

cOlllll.issionin the Infant17, win share the 

graduating lilll81i.ght wi.th his famou.sfathe:r. Mr. and 

Mrs. Brownhave visited Stockt.on Field before. '!'he 

comedia;p.has been fly:i.ng,as a passanga~ since 19~3, 

whi.chmealll,that he was fJ.y'\,ngbe£o;r~ the Aviation 

Cadets he will see graduate were born. 

Membersof Class 41-1 hsve a certain claim to fame 

themselves. Cadet Brown1188 president. of the student 

body and of the j'lJ.l1.iorclass at the Lu,5 A:cgeles branch 

of the University of Southe:rn California, and Cadets 

Lloyd Pearson Carlos aDd Robert Warren Christy have 

appeared as ice skateTs i.n IIB1V of Sonja HElD.ie'spietures. 

"Se:l&to:r"Get.s His .,~ 

Je.son DolJglas Hanen, who also will receive his 

.wi.Dgs July 11., has had the most unusual past. Cadet 

Ha.rr~11 was a memberof the Texas Legi.slat1.kt'e when he 

became interested in flyiDg while t:ra.veliIlg on legislative 

business. The colllllell'ci.alai.r lines di.d such a 

good. job of selling t.he yo~ office holde;(' t.bat he 

reslgned from t,he legislature and joined ~ as an 

Aviation Cadet. 

The next class schedul.ed for graduationl,s 41-F, 

whi.c." repor+..edJ1JrI.82 from.J4:Jffett Field and is to 

finish the ad'V8tlCed course August 16 or thereabouts. 

The class graduati:o.g July 1.1., contai.niug two stlnent 

officers aDd 143 cadettl, is the large:,t in the history 

of tihe AdvauC'ed S".hool at Stndctoo.. 

-000-- 

Recru-\.ting crews Sflnt thro1lgh West.; Virgi.ma. and 

Ohic by Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio, headquarters 

succeeded .in enlistiDg more thaD. 200 IlleID. in 18 

~ for assignment to squadrons nowbased at the 

Fairfield Air Depot. Ho "high pressure" tactiC's 

we:re eaploy8!i. 

All 111m assigned to recruiting duty were instructed 

to present only the actual facts concerning life An Aviation Cadet's couplete dress 'IJ.l1.iformand the 

in the Arrsv Air Forces aDd the opportunl ties afford- proper sUllllilerattire for the ,..ell-dressed enlist.ed 

ed those who enlist. for three years, particularly manwill be on displ~ in a wi.zlP,ow in Rockefeller 

t.h'i Clppo;rtunities to learn a skilled trade. This Center, NewYork. 

l&J1: is ccns:i.d!'-.:-ed a:n.ill!Jortaut incentive to poten- The exhibit also includes a Cadet's s1.1llllll8r outfit., 

t.:i.aJ.. recruits. i.ncluding helmet, coveralls and shoes and a couplete 

The ~ecruiting squads returned with former school winter uniform. It was s'i'PU.ed by the Sout~t Air 

tee.chers, mecbml.ics, b~e~, salesmen and membersof Corps Trai:o.i.:tl.gCenter- at. ~tgomery. Ala., at the rerItaT:o/ 

other occ~ational gr.oups in civil life. A quest of the Collllll8%lding Gene:t'al.,2nd Corps Area. 

large percElD.tagewere below voting age, indicatiDg 

that their Pl!lol'~ts hold a high regard. for t.he Arrsv 

The exhibit is being sponsored by the Museumof 

Science and~u,st,:r;y .. 1iheBriti.sh 1far ReHef Society 

Air Forces and consequently wre williDg t.c give aM the BritilJh American Ambu1.$Il.C'8 Corps. Brig. GEm. 

their cOIl,Sentcheer_fully to their sons' jn;.ni.Dg'-il' 'alte;- R. '_vel', colllllEltld~ the Southeast Trai.n.irlg 

Arecruit~officewas set up in the lobby of the Center, ordered the equip~t 'supplied. 

-28-

KEEP ,EM FLYING! 

Blood and hunger, hunger and blood, 

Red and white and white and red; 

Fed and famished, famished and fed, 

Bleeding and full, full and bled; 

This is the law of the living and dead. 

"Keep 'em Flying 1" if you would eat, 

Wolves are waiting to gnaw your meat. 

Fight to hold the power and might, 

Greedy wolves will tear and bite; 

strength alone they know as Right, 

"Keep 'em Flying 1" and WINthe fight. 

"Keep 'em Flying 1" through rain and fog, 

Through thunder and lightning and mud and bog. 

Wheels must turn both night and day, 

Wheels and speed and power to slay; 

These for us NC!N,without delay. 

Wings and wheels and bombs and wings, 

Menand womenand robot things 

Marching and working and fighting and flying, 

Singing and shouting and straining and trying, 

All together, we "Keep 'em Flying!" 

"Keep 'em Flying 1" through heat and cold, 

Fill 'em up, WE can't be told 

By Hitler HOWor WHEN or WHY- 

Flying menwill all defy 

Weaponshidden in a lie. 

Freedom is our greatest power, 

God the Hero of this hour, 

Fai th in Him the beacon tower. 

Wings and wheels and bombs and wings, 

Menand womenand robot things 

Marching and working and fighting and flying, 

Singing and shouting and straining and trying, 

All together, we "Keep 'em Flying!" 

-John WarwickDaniel III

;..t

GENERAL ANDREWS COMMANDS THE CARIlmJ:.U • • • 

CADIT MENTALTESTS REVISED 

THE ATTACKON LONDON• • • • 

Seen Through Soviet ~es 

WITH THE ALASKANAIR lOROES 

Two Pages of Pictures 

TlilOKNIQ,Ull: • • • • • • • • • 

CON TEN T S, 

AIR SUPPORTCOMMAlIDS EST.A:BLI SHED • • • • 

Support Command Organization Chart • 

ITHEY GLIDE THROUGH THE AIR" • • • • • 

Air Forces Officers Learn to Soar 

KEEP THE DOORD STRAIGHT • • • • • • • • • 

Last of a Series by MaJor Waddell F. smUh 

. . . 

. . . 

. .. 

. . . . 

. . . . . . 

. . . 

1 

. • 21 

• • • • • 5 

. . . . . . ., 

. . . 

• • 11 

. . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 

. . . . . . . . . . 17-18 

. . . . 

3 

THE 

COVER 

The cover picture is of the Vul tee :81'-13 (bade trainer) aDd 

was made available through the courtesy of JORTtlD, which will 

carry an extensive story on Vultee in the September lIeue. Mike 

Roberts was the aru,t who made the photograph. 

THE 

BACK COVER 

The airplane shown in silhouette on the back coyer (tbrough 

the courtesy of Aviation Newe Feature) is, of course, the :8oe1D& 

"Flying Fortress.' The B-17D m~ be identified by its long, slim 

:ruselage, four eD&ines and towering vertical fin. This 10ng-rADge, 

hard-hitting weapon is one of the m08t easily identified ml1l~ 

aircraft in the world.

o HEADQUARTERS 

ARMY AIR FORCES WASHINGTON, D. C. e 

THE AIR CORPS NEWS LETTER 

VOL. 24 AUGUST, 1941 NO. 14 

GLIDERS ORDERED 

COOPERATIVE AVIATION~ 

Troop 

Carriers Building 

Five Support 

Commands 

E~gineering research and training in 

connection with the prospective use by the 

Army Air Forces of troop-carrJ~ng gliders 

has been underway for more than six months, 

and several experimental multiplacegliders 

are scheduled for delivery for tests '.ri thin 

the next 60 days. 

Twelve Army 

have completed 

Air Forces officers already 

courses in glider flying, 

to qualify them as instructors and supervisors 

in the event glider training is expanded 

in the army. Another six are undergoing 

training at the glider school at 

Elmira, and six more are scheduled to enter 

that school sometime this month. No other 

assignments have been revealed and future 

plans are not known at this time. 

The entire army glider program is on an 

experimental basis, but variou.ssources have 

indicated that a glider force definitely 

will be created. The Chief of the Army Air 

Forces declared at the close of the recent 

national soaring contest, at Elmira, that 

he hopes the army will "have a glider force 

second to none" and I'lromised. that "we shall 

have such a force, and we will have it 

when we need it." Further evidence of army 

pInna is contained in the organization of 

the new Support Commands, as outlined elsewhere 

in this issue, which calls for II troopcarrying 

glider units." 

The Air Forces have ordered an undisclosed 

nucber of trainine and transport gliders. 

The training 

similar to the 

gliders are two-place and 

one such powerless plane 

alread3' delivered to the army 

known Schweizer brothers, of 

by the well- 

Elmira, and 

in which Maj. Gen. Arnold flew wi th l.faj. 

Fred R. Dent, Jr., at the national soaring 

meet. The troop-carriers are eight and 

15-place ships, and ~e true gliders, while 

the trainers actually are true soaring 

planes. 

No details of the army's plans wi th 

(Continued on Page 4) 

re- 

All air elements necessary for the co~ 

plete support of ground forces are being 

grouped into five Air Support Commands, 

ne'''est.combatunits of the Army Air Forces. 

One of the commands, the First, will be 

seen in action for the first time during 

maneuvers in November. 

Formation of the new units was described 

in Washington as "another step in the organi 

zation of.the Army Air Forces that is 

intended to enhance the combat efficiency 

of the whole military establishment." The 

step will make possible effective and close 

cooperation between ground forces and the 

purely support-type air units. 

One of the Air Support Commands 1s under 

the direct control of each of the four Air 

Forces, while the fifth will function under 

control of the Air Force Combat Command 

itself. The Firs t, Second, Third and Fourth 

Air Support Commands will operate with the 

four armies bearing those designations, 

and the Fifth Air Support Command will cooperate 

with the Armored Force. 

Each of the Air Support Commands will 

contain all the elements required to provide 

the support necessary to insure the 

success of a ground force's mission. These 

elements will include some old and wellknown 

air units and some that are new and 

not so well-known, even to air personnel. 

Grouped in the support category will be observation 

(both lighter and heavier-thanair), 

light bombers, dive bombers, photo 

planes, gliders and transports for parachute 

and air landing troops. 

The command and staff functions will be 

centered as follows: 

First Air Support Command, commanded by 

Col. William E. Kepne~, headquarters at 

Mitchel Field, N.Y. 

Second Air Support Command, commanded by 

Col. Hume Peabo~, headquarters at Oklahoma 

City. 

(Continued on Page 4)

The Army Air Forces' first glider, designated TG-2 (Training Glider TYpe 2). is shown in 

'on the line' at the National Soaring Contest at Elmira, N.Y. Left to right above are 

Watkins, Maj. Fred R. Dent • .Tr.• and Maj. Walter S. Lee. also at the soaring contest. 

the lower picture 

Lieut. John C. A. 

Photos by Harold W. Kulick.

They Glide Through the Air ---------- 

By Major Fred R. Dent, Jr. 

WE LEARNED THIS W A'Y 

THEN THIS 

HAPPENED 

Six A4r Corps officers reported June 1 to 

Harrie Hill. Elmira, N. Y., for three weeks' 

instruction in glider flying. For those 

memberB of the class who had been flying 

Boeing "Flying Fortresses, 11 it might appear 

to be a step backwards. However , even these 

men unknowingly were in for three weeks of 

thrills, excitement, and experiences they 

will never forget. 

Besides myBelf, the group at Harris Hill 

consisted of Capt. M. J. Lee from Wright 

Field, Lieut •• C. L. Luke and W. Filer 

from Mlddleto\m Air Depot, and Lieuta. 

J. J. Brennan and R. D. Bower from Fairfield 

Air Depot. Officers from Middleto\m 

and Fairfield arrived in Army transports. 

Lee and I made our appearance in an Army 

PT-l3B, which was used for local flights 

during the COUTse of instruction. 

June 2 broke with good weather and the 

group assembled at Big Flats Airport near 

Harris Hill. Two Franklin single-place 

utili ty gliders were hauled aut of the barn 

that serves as a hangar. First tows were 

made by automobile with a 200-ft. rope with 

the students given definite instructions 

not to let the glider leave the ground. 

These ground tows progressed to epeeds of 

50 m.p.h. Seated in the glider with your 

body only a few inches off the ground, 50 

m.p.h. gives a definite sensation of speed. 

After a half-dozen ground runs, the stu.- 

dent was permitted to take the glider a 

foot to 18 inches in the air on the tow 

flight, cutting loose at the end and landing 

straight ahead. On succeeding tows the 

permissible altitude was increased to 10, 

30, 50, 100, 300 and finally 500 feet. 

From 100 feet the student would make 180 0 

approaches. From 300 feet a 360 0 approach 

was made. These altitudes seem extreme 

in terms of the alti tudes used 

~or these maneuvers in powered 

planes. 

The landing technique presented 

the biggest transition 

problem. The approach to the 

field is made at a speed 10 to 

15 miles above the stalling 

(Continued on P~~p ~, 

Maj. Fred R. Dent, Jr., is Assistant 

Chief of the Aircraft 

Laboratory at Wright Field. He 

was one of the original class of 

officers assigned as students at 

Elmira. and was pilot of the Air 

Corps glider in which Maj. Gen. 

Arnold flew from the Elmira Airport 

(B.ig Flats) to ti,,':."; 

At 1:55 p.m. on June 18, I took off from 

the Big Flats Airport with a dual airplane 

tow in a Schweizer two-place sailplane with 

Mr. John Robinson in the rear cockpit. In 

the other sailplane were Capt. M. J. Lee 

and Mr. Ra;rmon Parker. The airplane, a Waco 

trainer piloted by Lieut. Luke, towed the 

two sailplanes in the Vicinity of the airport 

for 30 minutes, at which time the formation 

was at an altitude of 4,000 ::eet.By 

previ aus arrangement, it was agr~ed that if 

good thermal activity was encountered, Dent 

end Robinson would proceed. in the direct! on 

of Williamsport, whereas Lee and Parker 

would return to the Big Flats Airport. 

Upon cutting loose, Robinson guggested 

that I head for the cloud which was on our 

left. I looked to the left, and seeing two 

clouds, I headed for the "white one." John 

informed me that I was headed for the wrong 

cloud, a fact which I had St1.spected,but 

never having nown a sailplane on instruments, 

I would Itave been content to have 

started my experience on a "white one." 

The black cloud looked mighty black, but I 

figured John must know what he was doing. 

We entered the cloud at 3,700 feet, and 

were immediately on instruments. Soon the 

variometer showed a good rate of climb, and 

we started the spiral. How many turns we 

made, I'd never guess, but it seemed that 

I had never been in any other position. 

The altimeter climbed 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, 

then 8,000 feet. Here, I lost lift and came 

out of the side of the cloud. The variameter 

again recorded a good rate of climb 

and the spiraling started allover. The 

altimeter was rising rapidly and we started 

picking up ice. The front of the windshield 

and the leading edges of the wings were taking 

on a good load. 

I wondered how long we could continue to 

rely on the instruments. Soon 

the airspeed indicator went out 

of commission. However, having 

become familiar with the 

sound of the sailplane at 

various air speeds, this did 

not worry me too much. The 

al timetc!'now r ..9, 500 feet, 

, ( 

I!~\ 

I 

\ 

, 

I 

( 

i 

I

GUDERS ••• (Ooncluded) spect to aglid.- 

er torce have been revealed. General Arnold 

said the torm of the torce had not been 

decided upon-that the outcome ot the ex.- 

perimentation would determine that. So far l 

however. only airplane pilots (otticers) 

have taken the glider training. although 

it is considered tairly sate to assume that 

nonrated personnel eventually will be 

taught to fly the motorless aircratt~ 

One ot the first otficer-students, some 

of whomwere taught to soar by the Elmira 

Gliding Area Soaring Oorporation'sinstru.ctors 

and the others by the Lewis School ot 

AeronautiCS, at Lockport. Ill •• bailed out 

ot his soaring plane and became the first 

"glider caterpillar" in the Arm.y- AirForces. 

He was Second Lieut. Fred H. Highley. who 

bailed out at Lockport when the ship ~ 

in atter losing the left wing. Lieutenant 

Highley suttered no ill effects from his 

history-making leap. 

General Arnold was emphatic in his description 

of army glider plans at the banquet 

which closed the national soaring 

contest. He pointed out that the Air 

Forces' decision of months 8€0 to stu.dJr 

the use of mili tary gliders "was horribly 

justified when Germantroops swarmed down 

in gliders onto the island of Crete and 

captured the historic Greek island atter 

bloody fighting." 

•Wein the Army Air lorces have never 

denied or failed to appreciate the mili tary 

possibili ties of the glider, II General Arnold 

stated. "Power driven planes have been 

our first consideration. because our geographical 

posi tion has made that necessary. 

Ourfirst priori tYD1Ustgo to the long-range. 

heavy bomber. a weapon so necessary to carry 

out our policy of hemisphere detense. 

But that did not and does not nowmeanthat. 

merely because our great distances make 

our militar,r situation different than that 

of Europe, we have ignored the glider ••••• 

SUPPORT ••• (Oontinued) !bird Air Support 

Oommand.commended by 001. Asa I. 

Duncan. headquarters at the Savannah (Ga.) 

Air Base. 

lourth Air Support Command.cCllllllanded 

by 001. Robert O. Oandee. headquarters at 

Hamilton Field, Calit. 

Fitth Air Support Oommand.commanded by 

Brig. Gen. Junius W. Jones, headquarters 

at Bowmanlield. ~. 

The Air Support Statt. 001. William B. 

Lynd, chiet, headquarters at the A.rrq War 

Oollege. Washington. D.O. 

The Headquarters and Headquarters Squad,- 

rons ot the lifteenth. Sixteenth and Seven.- 

teenth BombardmentWings (Light) are torming 

the bu1s tor the similar organizations of 

three ot the Air Support Oommands.accord.- 

ing to instructions tor activation ot the 

commands. These instructions also stated 

that: 

"The further development ot doctrines, 

tactics and technique; the preparation ot 

training directives; the training ot avi .. 

tion in conjunction with ground torces will 

require close liaison and interchange ot 

information and recOD8nendation8 between 

all echelons ot cOllllll8D.d concerned with the 

problem. Theretore. direct contact and 

cOJllJlll1n1cation bet~en the several cClllllll8n4- 

ers concerned is authorised with respect 

to this subject •• 

All observation aviation. includill8 the 

squadrons which were part ot the Iational 

Guard prior to their mobilization. is beill8 

assigned to' the Support Oommands.They 

will be transterred at a time recommended 

by the Ohiet ot the A.rrq Air Forces. and 

in the meantimewill remain with the ground 

uni ts to which they are now assigned. Glid.- 

er units have not been tormed yet, ot 

course. and dive bombers only now are being 

(Concluded on Page 30) 

"Wecan't expect to tow strings ot gliders empty weight ot 480 pounds, useful 10a4ot 

behind airplanes over 3.000 miles of eeesa, 400 pounds, aspect ratio ot 12:6 and glidbut 

we are certain that there are ~mis- ing ratio ot 23:5. 

sions for gliders which ma;r develop in the Although the Schweizer brothers delivfuture 

•••• Wedo know that we IDIlst have ered the first ship, it was designated 

gliders. perhaps hundreds and possibly thou.- TG-2, the designation TG-l originally havsands 

of them. capable of carl7'1ng at least ing been usigned to those ships being 

15 men each. together with full equipment. manufactured by the ll'rankiort Sailplane 

inoluding rifles, machine gens and even Oomp~, ot Joliet, Ill •• none of which 

light cannon. II has been delivered. The frankfort 8ail- 

The tirst glider delivered to the Air plane8 will be ot steel.,.tube :ro.selage t1Pe. 

Corps nowis at Wright Field. undergoing with tabric-covered wooden wings. Both 

routine tests. The glider. designated types will have daal instruments. includ- 

TG-2 (Training Glider Type 2) is an all- iDl; variometer. altimeter and air speed 

metal. two-place sailplane. It has a span indicator. while provisions are beiDl; made 

of 52 teet. wing area ot 214 square teet. tor bank and tarn indicators and COJllPUS8S. 

-4-

COMMANDS 

CARIBBEAN 

Maj. Gen. ADCIrews Blevated 

LANDING 

MATS 

Mobile "Fields" Tested 

t~!( 

\ r'! l: I 

The Jargest command involving both ground 

and air troops ev~r assigned to an air ofricer 

was given Maj. Gen. Frank M. Andrews 

last month when he was selected to replace 

Lieut. Gen. Daniel Van Voorhis as head of 

the entire Caribbean Defense Command and 

the Panama Canal Zone. 

Many other senior ArmyAir Force officers 

were shifted to new commands or promoted, 

or both, about the time General Andrews, 

who now heads the Air Defense Command in 

the Caribbean area, was given his important 

new assignment. Several brigadier generals 

were made major generals and a number of 

others received high temporary rank. 

Brig. Gen. Herbert A. Dargue was made a 

major general and given command of the 

First Air Foree, at Mitchel Field, New 

York. Brig. Gen. LAillard F. Harmon was 

elevated to the same rank, with assignment 

as commander of the Second Air Force, at 

.fort George Wright, Washington, and Brig. 

Gen. Imris 11. Brereton was made commander 

of the Third Air Force, also with the rank 

of major general. 

The appointment of General Andrews to 

head the entire defenses of the Caribbean 

areais considered particularly significant 

at this time, and was so hailed by authoritative 

commentators in Washington, in view 

of the Array's new policy of forming "task 

forces" for service in a particular area. 

This policy, as outlined by the Chie! of 

Staff, in'lolves the grouping of all elements 

under the command of a senior officer 

of an arm which seems most likely to bear 

the brunt of operations in that particular 

situation or area. 

iiecoGnitionaf the increasingly important 

role which the air arm plays in certain 

theaters in determining the success or failure 

of the whole task force was seen in 

General Andrews' assignment. In the event 

of an attack in the Caribbean 

areas, it has been widely 

or 

accepted 

Canal Zone 

tl>at initial operations 

aL~ost certainly would be in 

the air. 

An Analagous situation may be 

found in a comparison of the 

Panama Canal Zone with the British 

base at Singapore. At both, 

extensive, permanent and vital 

facilities are contained in a 

v~ry small aroa , Both are the 

lContinued on Pace 16, column2) 

Portable landing mats to permit the use 

of all sorts of unprepared fields within 

the theater of operations are being developed 

for the Army Air Forces by the Corps 

of Engineers, the Under Secretary of War 

disclosed this month. 

The mats are for use by medium and heavy 

bombardment, reconnaissance, and transport 

planes. Experiments on mats for use by 

these types are virtually completed, and 

the Chief of the Air Corps has issued a 

directive for work on a lighter type to 

be used by pur sui t and other lighter military 

aircraft. These lighter mats are 

similar to the ones which have been developed 

in England for the Royal Air Force. 

Testifying before the Senate's special 

defense investigating committee in July, 

Under Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson 

stated: 

"Three successful types have been developed 

which are suitable for use by heavy 

bombers, but are considered too heavy for 

use on fields on which pursuit ships and 

light bombers are to land. Tests are now 

being made on other types which will be 

adequate for the lighter military aircraft 

and which will have the advantage of lighter 

weight and ease of placement. 

It is reported that the Panama Canal Department 

wants a heavy landing mat for use 

with heavy traffic on auxiliary fields, in 

the event that tactical operations require 

this traffic. Some fields which are suitable 

for use by lighter types of aircraft 

could not be used by heavier craft without 

reinforcement of this type. 

Experimental work looking toward the development 

of mats of this type was initiated 

in late 1939, when The Adjutant General issued 

a directive to the Corps of Eneineers, 

stating that the Air Corps had an immediate 

need for a portable landing mat. A subsequent 

letter from the Chief of the Air 

Corps to the Chief of Engineers 

urged efforts to secure something 

usable at once, rather than strive 

for perfection at some later date. 

It was stated that the consideration 

of camouflaging of the runways 

was of prime importance. 

A program involving various 

types of tests was initiated. 

Truck tests at Fort Belvoir, Va., 

were held to determine which of 

(Continued on page l6,column 1) 

- 5 -

WE LEARNED... llpee!. So8riDg 

18 a01'll&117 dona at wpeeds approx1llate17 

fiTe miles aboTe the stall. Therefore, 

Yhea the pilot decides to land, he increases 

rather than decreases his speed. !bere 18 

no 1eT811ng-off procees. Theglider 11 nown 

right on the ground with this excess speed. 

Once on the grcnmd, the ground roll can 

b. reduced b7 pa.ehiDCforward on the stick, 

puttiDC the weight on the nose ald.d end the 

s1nl;1e 1uA1Dg wheel. The roll can be st111 

~ther shortened 'b7 following this with 

brake action. On the haDklin glide1'8 the 

brake 11applied 'b7 palling a bandle attached 

to a cable. Outside of the tow cut-oft 

release, this is abcm.tthe onl7 uae for the 

pi10t l • lett haD4. The ab.ence of a throttle 

qua4raut proTed aost azm071Dg. 

All inst1"\1Ctionworkup to this point had 

been solo in J'rank:lin gliders and all towing 

done b7 auto. There is no 8IIlall thrill 

apedeneed in an auto traTeling across a 

eod airport at a speed of 55 1Il. p. h. with 

the ddT_r alternating his attention between 

where he is going and howthe glider 

is coming• 

.Atter approximately seTen hours in J'ranklin 

gliders, the instruction shifted to 

two-place Schweizer sailplanes. These are 

JIIllcb.higher performance sailplanes. The 

student occupies the front cockpit and the 

instructor. the rear. The student is faced 

with the operation ot a new gadget knownas 

a •spoUer. - fhis is a spring-loaded, Ten~ 

tian-blind 't7Pe. operated b7 a 1eTer onthe 

left of the cockpit. !he brake is actuated 

b7 the heel of the foot. Th.is can be accomplished 

b7 either heel without remonng 

the feet from the rudder. Training in these 

sailplanes was carried out with auto, winch, 

and f1nal17 airplane tow. 

lor 8QTpowered pilot who has not &%perienced 

a winch take-off in a glider, there 

awaits for him one of the biggest thrills 

of his life time. To 8QToneunaccustomed 

to glider launching, it looks 11ke a suicide 

attempt. With a rope approzimate1T 

1,200 feet long, the sailplane gains 811 altitude 

of 600 to 700 feet. What happens 

it the rope breaks? Well, nothing, pro- 

Tided the pilot 18 alert. drops the remaining 

tow rope, noees down,and has BUtfic1ent 

altitude to land straight ahead or to make 

a 180 0 turn back to the field. Gl1de1'8oan 

-6- 

turD. back onto the take-off field when such 

action would be disastr011s for an airplane. 

A little friendly cooperation comes in 

hanq on airplane tOQ. The glider gets off 

the ground at ab011t 45 miles per hour and 

climbs to 25 or 30 feet. At this UIIl8the 

:"001' tow plane is still straggling and runalae 

&1... the erouud. !he sailplae pUot. 

thea diws the sailplae to within 10 feet 

of the groad. !his reduces the drag and 

permite the powered tow plane to clear the 

fence. !he sailplane pilot can be quite a 

help or a hindrance, depending on both hie 

experience and technique. 

Atter an airplane tow, the eailplane pilot 

uaual17 cuts looee at 1,500 feet. He 

woald then either elope or thermal soar until 

thele cond1tions failed him or he wiehed 

to returD.. On one of these nighte the 

pllot climbed to 6,500 feet after cutting 

loose at 1.000 feet. On another occasion, 

a student stqed up onr three hau.rs. There 

is real17 a 101:of opportun1t7 to use a 

"biscuit 

goa." 

Instruction during the course vas in ex.- 

cellent hande. Amongthe instructore were 

John Robinson,last Tear's national tloaring 

champion: Parker Leonard, an old glider pilot 

who has forgotten more thanmost people 

ever learn about gliding;:Rq Parker, one 

of the 1e&d1ngsailplane piloh on the weet 

coast: and Jq Bu:z:ton,the grand old man 

of gliding. 

During the course of instruction all stu.- 

dents obtained their '0" rating, which is a 

recogni tion established b7 the Soaring SocietT 

of America. To obtain this rating, 

the pilot JIIl18tsta;y aboTe the alti tude of 

release for a period of fiTe minutes. All 

students also obtained the O. A. A. rating 

of 'Oo•• rci&1 Glider Pilot.- 

The next stege of intltruction was dual 

airplane tow. The formation vas the conTentional 

Vee with the power plane in No.1 

position. The ropes leading from the airplane 

to the sailplane. were approximate17 

400 feet long, the one being about 30 fe.t 

longer than the other. This stagEl vas not 

radically different fro. power plane formation 

flpng but did require practice in 

keeping the rope tight under all conditionl. 

A Wacotra1nerwi\h 220 hp. Oontinent&1 engine 

was used as a tow plene. 

Stadents had SeTeral flights as pilot of 

the tow plane. "or tho.. pilot. whoco'" 

plaia abcm.ttowing target., I Wggest a 

couple hau.rs l towing glide1'8. I don't think 

theT ¥ill n.r complain again. The airplane 

feels as if it is continuallT stalling. If 

the sailplanes climb, the7 exert an up load 

on the tail which hu to be offeet bT the 

elevator movement,at the saae time trTing 

to keep constant air speed and altitude. 

In addition, a 220 bp. Wacohas no reserTe 

powerwhenhooked to two two-place sailplanee. 

!'l2e 

coane tel'ld.u.te4 1a oross ooutf7 

(Continued OIl PIle- 24)

Admission Examinatione Altered 

CADET MENTAL TESTS UNDERGOING 

REVISION 

Several changes and simplifications in 

the Air Corps mental examsfor candidates for 

training as aviation cadets will be incorporatedin 

the examination given in August. 

The examination has been developed and assembledby 

the Research and Analysis Group 

of the Personnel Procedure Section of the 

Adjutant General's Office, which has been 

making studies of the test. 

Workon the examination has included two 

types of proposed changes, in subject and 

in method. The SUbject matter is to be 

changed first, the method in November.The 

examformerly included nine compulsory subjects. 

The August examwill include five 

compulsory SUbjects, and two optional subjects 

which maybe selected from a group 

of five. 

The compulsory subjects are English Grammar 

and Composition, Arithmetic, Algebra, 

(to include quadratics), Plane Geometry, 

and Plane Trigonometry. The student must 

also select two subjects fromthe following: 

United States History, General History, 

Elementary Physics, Inorganic Chemistry 

and aQY modern language except Enelish. 

The last two SUbjects are newadditions to 

the curriculum. Geographyhas been dropped. 

Important changes in the method of the 

examination have been madeto shorten the 

time required to take the examand to 

facili tate grading. The newmethod, which 

will not be used until the Novembermental 

exam, consists of the multiple-choice answer 

type of question. This method eliminates 

all discussion or essay questions, 

and is considered to ensure a fairer and 

more reliable exam. 

. 

required for grading the examinations will 

be radically cut, and the time required to 

take the examination will be cut in halt as 

well. The elimination of discussion questions 

by the multiple choice methodwill 

cut the time required for each examtrom 

two hours to one hour. The entire exam 

will thus require seveninstead ot 14 hours. 

Using an electric scoring machine with 

one operator, answerscan be quickly scored, 

as the machine makes an electrical contact 

when the answers are on the right spot on 

the separate answer sheet. Five thousand 

exams can be graded in two weeks. 

Use of the multiple-choice type ot question 

on Air Corps examinations is not new. 

It has been used on examinations at the 

Air Corps Technical Schools at Chanute, 

Scott and Lowry Fields. 

The Personnel Procedure Section ot the 

Adjutant General's Office also has been 

developing a "Higher Classification Test" 

for applicants for enlisted pilots. This 

test is experimental, and will be used in 

connection with studies of the results ot 

subsequent ground school and other workot 

those taking the test. As it is new and 

untried, the "critical score" has not yet 

been decided upon. 

This examination for enlisted pilot applicants 

is more like an "I. Q." test than 

the mental exam. It includes three types 

of questions, arithmetic reasoning, general 

vocabulary, and numberseries completion, 

to measure inductive reasoning. This type 

of examination also has been used by the 

Air Corps in selecting prospective technical 

personnel • 

Studies of the mental examination are 

continuing with a view toward simplifying 

and shortening the test. lobdernization ot 

the mental exam,through studies by experts 

in examformulation, may event"UalJ.ychange 

the form of determining the basic educational 

level, in -order more accurately to 

include everyone who is qualified. 

The problem of grading the examinations 

has becomeacute because of the enormously 

increased numberof applicants taking the 

exam. In August, 1939, only 159 candidates 

took the exam. A year later, August, 1940, 

this numberrose to 1254. In November, 

1940, a total of 2398 candidates were examined. 

On the last exam, May, 1941, exactly 

3250 applicants took the test. Between 

4000 and 5000 are expected to be 

examined in August. 

Morethan 300 airplanes from other fields 

Because of this increase, grading the ex- landedat Randolph Field, Texas, during the 

aminationsbya board at RandolphField noll' month of June, as comparedwith tewer than 

requires many weeks of work. Using the 60 visiting ships during the same period 

multiple-choice type of questions, the time tive years ago. 

- 7 -

'The dive bomber is used to support, and works in close cooperation with, ground 

forces particularly armored divisions. Here are the first dive bombers to be turned 

out by Douglas for the Air Support Commands of the Army Air Forces.

Army Air Forces Get New Type Planes 

DIVE BOMBERS DELIVERED 

Many on Order 

Soviet Attitude 

Initial deliverie. ot the new Douglal 

~24 41"e boaber, vh1ch 18 virtuall)" identical 

to the 1II'aT7SBD-3,have been rece1 ved 

b)" the Air Oorp.. The Air Oorp. hal bought 

one eroap of thll t7Pe tor each ermored 41vilion. 

'the ul1paent ot oontractl to lIqrth 

AuriclIIl Aviation Oorp. and to Ourti18- 

Wright tor other 41ve bombers has been announced 

b7 UDder Secret&r7 ot War PatterlOll. 

'!he.. vill be never t7Pes. 

!he ml'i-placed lhip, which sOll8Yhat 

ree.ble. ~ A.rtrq .&.-17 in appearance, has 

been hichl7 praised b)" a Wright 'ield telt 

pUot .. a liveet tlylng .hip.. '!hree s1milar 

pl.e. vere borrowed from the 1II'avb7 

the A.1r Oorp. three or tour monthe ago 10 

that A.n1T pUot. coold build up a technique 

ot operation tor thi. t7Pe ot plane. 

!he .&.-24 11 powered vi th a Wright 07Clone 

eDC1newhich hal a mill t&1'7rating ot 1,000 

horlepower. It hae a speed ot about 250 

m.p.h. and a range, of over 1,000 mUe•• The 

•hip hal a crOll veight ot 9,000 PO!1J1d.l, a 

wb.tantialportion of vh1ch 11 made up b7 

an a4eqaate bcmb load. 

Dive baabel' pilot. vill be trained in 

their own unite. At preeent, two naval 

ottioen are .tationed vi th Air Oorp. un1tI, 

one at BOWI&11 'ield, Lou1.ville, X7., and 

one at the SaT8m1ahAir Baae, Savazmah,Ga., 

tor the plU'pOie of acquainting operat1olll 

ottioerl with technique and methods developed 

by naTal operation. 

In addition, two Air Oorps otficer., one 

each trOll BoWIUA'ield and the Savu.nah A.1r 

Bue, where llght bombardmentultl are 

located' and where earl)" deli verie. ot dive 

"'bomber.'are being and vill be received, are 

on dut7t~r one month at the lIodolk lI..ft1 

Air Bue, attached to na'V7dive boIDbu.quad.- 

ron.. At the end of thi. time the)" Yill 

return"to ,their OW%l tields. However, it 11 

not expecte4 that J..rrrr dive bombing tactiCI 

,will be 14ent1cal to the NaT)"tactics. AI 

the .itDations in which dive bombers are 

emplo)"e4will be different, technique will 

nece'laril)" v&r7 80mewhat. 

The dive bomber is used to support, and 

work in close coopera.tion with, ground 

(OontiDUed on Page 24) 

b)" Oaptain •• hainev 

Becent warl have demon.trated the ettica.c)" 

ot the pover-di T8 bomber. !hr0Qcgh0ll t the 

Ohine•• contlict Japaneee bombardment avia.- 

tion hal utilized power-41vingaa the basic 

method ot attack. 

the YV in Spain attorcled ~ example. 

ot the wccellM emploJ1llent ot pover-dive 

bOllbiUC. WeIIq recall that the Insurgent 

bat1llelhip Ilapania YU eunk b)" two power- 

41ve bomberl. The GermanJUDker-87 powerd1ve 

bcmber vas emplo)"ed tor the flut 

time in thi. oonnict. It Val utilized in 

action egaiut seaport objectives. 

Germanpower-dive bombers were emplo)"ed 

.on a particularl)" extensive .cale in the 

Ge1'llall-Polieh war. The resul te obtained 

b7 thell. created varld.-vide d1lcueaion. 

throughOl1t the milita.r)" pres.. The Allied 

power., haT1nc no aircraft un!.t, equipped 

with power-dive bomber., rwlhed the purchase 

ot wch aircraft in the United States • 

Pover-4ive bombers were empl078d on an 

even larger scale in Belgi~ and hance, 

eepeci81l7 against important small-size 

target.. German ;power-dive bombers attacked 

concrete .t1"l1Ctures, airdromes, 1'&11- 

vaT bridge., communication centers behind 

the Allied lines. Of particular intere.t 

18 the action of Germanpower-dive bomber. 

in conjunction with motorized end mechanised 

torce. against Allied mechanized unit. 

on the march and aga.in8t their intantr)". 

There haTe al.o been noted 80mepower-dive 

attack8 on the part of the Bri tim bombard.- 

m.nt aviation. 

Power-41ve functions mq be accompli.hed. 

troa hieh or average altitude.. Compared 

to bombinge from horizontal flight, the)" 

afford JIIaDT advant8&8s. Power-dive bombing 

enhance. considerabl)" the aiming ot the 

bomber. the striking effect of the bomb., 

and invol v.. le18 danger, compared to horizontal 

bombarcbDentaction, within the zone 

ot ho8tile antiaircraft artiller)" tire. 

Moreover, power-dive bombers m~ combine 

the bombin« of targets wi th the tire action 

ot their cannon or machine gane. 

.Action trom horhontal fiight at ver)" 

(Oontinued on Page 20) 

-9-

THEN THIS... and we were still ing could be attempted. Wecould probab17 

cl1m'Mng. Abcn1t this time the variOllleter have made it through the pass, but there 

in the front cockpit ceased functioniIl&, but vas no altitude to spare. I just couldn't 

John kept me informed of our rate of climb push on the left rudder, and leave those 

by telling me continually what the one in fields on the right. 

the rear cockpit indicated. In my power plane experience, I have re- 

At 10,000 feet the altimeter hit the stops turned to the Rio GrandeValley in the :Big 

on the instrument but we continued to climb BendCountry, where as a young pilot I bad 

for a period that I nowcomputeas seven flown the river bed, a few feet off the vaminutes 

but which at the time seemed like ter and hundreds of feet below the cBn70n 

an hour. Then the bank and turn indicator sides. But on my return trip eight years 

went out. I could see the ice-covered ven- later, I just couldn't push forward on the 

turi. I figured it was time for the cloud stick hard enough to get the airplans down 

and me to part company. I had gotten r.- in the canyon. I guess it's just nold age" 

ther acclimated to the rumblings of tb:u.nder --smart people call it nexperience." I 

and its gratuitous gift of frozen precipi- found myself confronted with the problem 

tat1on, but honestly I was a long we::r from here. I couldn't force myself to abandon 

enJoying the situation. a course, whn. a good ludhg vas probable, 

There was that beautitally arranged in- for a sweepatakes ticket through the narrow 

strument board; airspeed inc11cator, vari- pass. 

ometer, bank and turn indicator, altimeter, Wesettled to l,200feet, then 1,000. fhose 

and compass. Of them all, only the compass level fields I saw at 3,000 feet all ..... d 

continued to give me a reading. Fromthe to slope greatly at the lower altitude. 

rate of climb indicator in the rear cockpit Eight hundred feet al t1tude and I selected 

and the time of climb after the al t1meter my field, a narrowonewithout planted crop. 

hit the stops, I am sure we had reached at and sufficiently long, provided I madea 

least 15,000 feet. good approach. At 600 feet I changed my 

I tried to hold a south course and after ide88 as to which way the field sloped, 80 

I madea 180 degree overhea4, and put her 

what seemeda lifetime, we broke out of the down. Except for a ditch, grown over with 

side of the cloud. By this time, we really weeds, that vasn't apparent frOlllthe air, 

had a nice load of ice. The bottom of the the landing was uneventtal. The ditch 

inside of the sailplane was covered with bouncedus back into the air, but there was 

what looked like snow. Robinson took: the still sufficient speed to control the sailcoatro1. 

while I installed an additional 

variometer in the front instrument panel, plane. 

and hooked it into the trusty gallonj'ag. Weverejust 100 miles short of Willi .... 

port but on the right e1de of the fence in 

Wecontinued a south course, and I had no the field selected. Well, I gI18ssthat'. 

idea where we were. The sky ahead wasclear better than being three feet short and on 

with no clouds in sight. One by one the the wrong Bide of the fence in the right 

instruments began functioning as the ice field. These hours whenyou await the armelted; 

first the airspeed indicator, then rival of a trailer and ground crew give ycu. 

the bank and turn indicator. The newvar- a lot of time to think. I decided to write 

iometer in the front cock:pit was workiIl& the above experience 1mmediate17. 

fine. Although we held the south course 

for some time, and I had the map, I am This flight was truly the biggest k1ckin 

ashamedto sq that I had trouble getting my fl;y1ng career. As I look back now, it 

oriented. But we continued this course was really sport, but at the time I vas in 

wi th a con.tant rate of descent and no ap- that cloud. gathering ice, it was more like 

parent thermal activity. After some time, labor. To those novices whowould ~epeat 

the altimeter dropped to 9,500, then 9,000; or better this flight, let me sq-;,. '"When 

ev.n it vas working again. you try it, it's a mighty good feenD.i'to 

have the National SoariD« Championin the 

The sq was perfectly clear, and wewere back seat' with a set of controls.' _. 

pretty lUre at 5,000 feet that we wouldn't ...,.,.- 

malteWilliamsport. At 2,000 feet, we got a "So this is :, n the aviation ca4et 

weak:thermal. After playing with it for a 

few minutes we left with a 200-foot loss of of Olass 4l-G remarked expansivel)", as he 

altitude. To the left was a mountain pus alighted at College Station, Texas. 

that opened into a level valley. To the His instructor at Randolph )l18ld or4erecl 

right vas a plateau between ridges running him to write 500 times "I em a 'dodo' tar 

30 degrees to the right of our course. '!'he not stud;ying Jq maps before tak1DCoff on 

latter appeared to have fields where alanet- a cro.s-country navigation flight." 

-10-

A Ruasian Officer's View ------------------- ... • S~ 

THE GERMAN ATTACK ON LONDON 

By Colonel N. 

Zhuravlew 

\ 

\ 

!he air attacka on\London afford a good 

... aap1e of the tactiCal forms modern avia.- 

tion U1' aeeumein operations against large 

1d.1n1strative and induatrial centers. 

!o reach London in cUo'l1ght, Germanavia.- 

tion V88 required to OTercome re8istance 

ot British porsuit craft disposed at the 

approaches to the capital. The Ge1'lllaZl8 

endeavored to c1"U8hthe Bri Ush pu.rsu1 t aircraft 

at their airdromes. The Bri Ush comaand, 

hoV8T81',succeeded in providing its 

aircraft in due time vi th sufficient airtielda 

aDA landing fields to insure the 

proper aatUnlTer of their aircraft on the 

ground. .u a consequence, the Germanraids 

on the Bri Ush airdromes tailed in their 

Illsdon. 

The German8attempted al80 to faoili tate 

their approach to Londonby staging aerial 

demonstrations against a number ot points 

in Soa.th and Southeut ~and, hoping to 

divert the British pursuit aviation !rom 

approaches to the capital. Thi8 tactical 

.. thod, hovever, also tailed to produce 

satistact01'1' results: The British command 

voald Ilot disperse 1ta punu1 to craft or 

divert t~ for the protection of second&17 

areu. 

!he Ge1"llaZl air torees delivered their cUo'- 

U.. ra1cla on London vi th the aid ot mixed 

croups. The.. included pover-di ve bombers 

of the IJUDker_87 1 type or the faet nDor_ 

llier-17 1 bombers and the 'Messerschmitt- 

110 1 aDA l.sserscbll1 tt-109' pursu1 t craft. 

!he mud goup ordinarlly comprised three 

or faaz bcabardment squadrons of nine airplce. 

each and tYO or more pursu1 t 8quad.- 

roaa. 

Practical esperience demonetrated the 

ezpe41enC7 ot thh .ethod. At the same 

tiae, hoWTer, 1t hu .hown that where the 

e4versar.r i. in po.seseion ot a sufficient 

JIaIlber ot pu,nait craft, the bOllbardment 

C1'att ot the attacker are tar trOll being 

secure 'ICI',1Dstattack b7 the hostile pur- 

8U1t aircraft. BeceiT1ng time17iDformation 

flo_ the ob.enation poets of tbe appear- 

.. ce ot ho.tl1e airplane., the detender ls 

in a po.1ticm to callout and to have in 

the air one and a halt or twice the IlWDber 

ot h1s ownpa,r1lU1 t aircraft--and this Wall 

-11- 

actuall7 

tbe case here • 

In escorting tbe bombere, the singleplace 

pursuit airplanee enccn:m.tered such 

tactical obstaclee as ditticult7 in vit~ 

draving !rom combat and getting aWB1' tram 

the hostile pur suit craft because ot the 

fact that, in turning with their tail to 

the en~, the Bingle-place pursu1 t airplane 

becomes entire17 detenseless. The 

two-place pursuit craft of the lMes8erschmitt-110 

n type were tactical17 more satisfacto1'7in 

escorting their bombers. Theae, 

however, were incapable of the full protection 

of their bombers against attack b7 the 

hostile pu1'suit craft. 

In a word, the Germansfound 1t impossible 

to overcome complete17 the action of the 

Bri Ush pu1'suit craft that were massed at 

the approaches to London and, not desiring 

to endure heav;y losses in ma8sed cUo'tiae 

attacks on the British capital, resorted 

to night raid8. 

Practical experience ot aerial engagements 

during the maeI aerlal attacks Oil 

London bas shown that tbe punu1 t craft are 

capable ot attacking the moderntast bomber. 

onl7 from the rear, and this at cloee range 

onl7. Crolsvile and trontal attaclal are 

practically impos8ib1e becBnse of the tact 

that the machine-gun tire at long-range, 

owing to the great diepersion of fire. has 

little effectiveness, and at close range, 

1nview of the great speed ot the airplane., 

is almost impossible. Renee machine-gun 

fire in aerial engagemente is opened at a 

range ot 250 to 300 metere, and treqaent17 

at not more than aoo meters. Rowver, eveD. 

thoU&bthe rear part ot the bomber i. le •• 

protected, the bombardmentgroup, Foeeea.- 

ing in clo.e formation, i. quite capable 

of producing eutf1cient17 Itrong tire protection 

trom the rear .0 that the pa.1'suU 

craft, in the cue ot attaclal at clole 

range, will be subjected to serioa.s 1081ee. 

The Ge1'lll8Zl1 endeavored to overcOlll8the 

fire of hostile antiaircraft arti1ler,r 

weapons by tyO methode: B7 attacks on their 

batter.r pod tions and b7 a dilpers10n of 

the combat t01'lll&tloni of their bombardment 

aviation. Experience tailed to ju8tif7 

these methods, aDd the Genum air lerTice

increased it. al t1tude of flight 4lu1.q 

aerial attack.. ben the GeraaD Jdght 

raids are nowbeing undertakenat altitude. 

of .ix to seven thouaand meter•• 

!he :ari ti.h purBUit &T1ation and 8Dt1- 

aircraft art111e17 concentrated in the London 

area, proved quite effective in ~time 

action. The Germans, how.ver, unw111inc 

to abandon completely their dqtime raid. 

on the :Britiah capi tal, b.g8D utllllinc 

their two-place "Me•• er.chmi tt-llO' purauU 

craft on bombardmentIliasions. TheTpo••••• 

powerful armamentand great speed, 8Dde:zperience 

less difficultT in overcoming the 

action of the :Briti.h in their defen.e 

&«ainst aerial attacks. The tactical importance 

of the dqtime bombardmentattack. 

carried ant bT these aircraft consists 

mainlT of the fact that it impede. the work 

of restoration (especiallT the 8%tingu1.~ 

ing of fires) and starts fires bT whic~ 

night bombers locate their objectives. 

The tactics of German aviation in night 

operations is characterized by the concentrated 

attack. There were nights, for 

example, in which as ~ as 500 airplanea 

raided London. 

Practical experience has shown the night 

raids to be far less hazardans than the 

da.Yt1meattacks, though these demandparticular 

skill in the lwldling of aircraft 

without the aid of ground orientation features. 

The Germans execute their night 

raids by echelonl!l consisting of a score or 

more airplanes each. To provide Jll8%illl111ll 

safetT du.t'1ngflight, each echelon is assigned 

its ownline and precise altitude 

- of flight. The actual raid is delivered 

not by all echelons simultaneouslT but bT 

smaJ.l granps of planes of one or two elements 

each. This extends the duration of 

the raids. 

In order to enhance the accuracT of their 

bombardmentat night, the GermansusuallT 

illuminate their bombardment objective8. 

TheTsend ant special'illuminating plane.," 

which fly at low altitude, and somevbat in 

advance of the combat group., and drop illumination 

bombs over attack obJeotive •• 

More protracted illumination is provided 

mainly bT starting conflagration.. Incendiary 

bombs are dropped bT the fir.t 

echelons of the night raiders. 

The experience of the raids on London 

ehovs that the crushing of a hostile air 

force by the destruction of hostile airdromes 

where the enemyhas at hi. dispo.al 

a more or less properlT developed airdrome 

.78tem, and where he is in po•• eadon. of 

suffioient meansfor restoration of 10.se.-- 

-l~ 

is a rather dUf1C'11l.t.. ttar. !hi. 18 tru, 

.oreover, even where the attacker posse •• es 

a rela1l1ve nperloritT of forces over the 

e118lD7.The nea.tralizat1cm of 8Dt1aircraft 

artill8r7 established on fortified defens. 

pod t1onsand equipped with meau of defena. 

against 10w-f1T1ngand din-bOllbinc craft 

ia even aore difficult of accOJllPU.hlHm.t. 

The protection of bombers with the ai4 

of e8cortinc pvBUi t craft in ~ime 1"&148 

still remains an unsolved probl_. !he 

II&tter of determining the proper proport1oa 

of purBUit and bombardmentcraft in miDd 

aircraft groap. ch1riDg d.qtime raids on 

Londonhas proved difficult. 

The ratio of 2:1 emp1078din the Spanilh 

conflict fail. in the action again.t the 

:Briti.h. 

lIor did the Germansfind an effective 

method for the penetration in d.qtime of 

the .creen of parBUit aircraft ai w.ate4 at 

the approaches to their attack objective •• 

If this proved 80 difficult of achievement 

where the bombardmentobjective was situ.- 

ated a di8tance of 120 to 150 kilometers 

(about 75 to 95 milee) behind the advance 

line of observation poet., thedifficultie. 

will be even greater where the bombardment 

objectives will be eituated several hundred 

kilometers from the front line8. 

!l!hetwo-place twin-motor parBUit airplaU 

proved i t.elt more sui table for 4qt1Jle 

bombings which, being a fighter airplane 

and p08sessing high ceiling and great 8p8e4, 

e~eriences re1ativelT small difficultT in 

overcomingall modern meBZUI of antiaircraft 

defense. Import8Dt results, however, 'JDair 

be achieved onlT bT the emplO11llentof large 

quanti ties of theee pnrsui t crstt, lince 

the load which each of theBe 1I8l' c&rl7 1s 

rather insignificant. 

The most etf.ctive.eaua inaction against 

bombardmentcraft fl)"iDg in 010•• formatioa 

is the pursuit plane araecl with cannon. It 

is capable of firing at IUCh range as toremain 

beyond the reach of the machine-gun 

fire of the bOJllbers. ~ the bombers 

ma,y suffer lomedamage tr~ the cannon fir. 

o! the pursuit craft, Tet, consideriDg the 

meeger eftectivenes. of the small-caliber 

shells and the limited reserve of the.e 

carried b;y the panuit craft, it will not 

be advi.able for the bOJllbersto assumediapersed 

fcmu.t1ona. In such event, the •• 

will loee their fire oontact song thea- 

.elves and beoomee&87preT for the ~ 

n1' oraft 1anbsequat a'Mob. 

Aerial e~ents with. tlle ald of~~ 

can fire ar! conducted at 010•• )rang •• aot 

{Cont1Jm.edon Pap 24 .

Facilities Under Construction ----------------------- 

GULF COAST PREPARES TO TRAIN 

18,000 YEARLY 

lacilities for training more than 18,000 

military airmen annually are in operation 

or under construction in the Gulf Coast Air 

Corps Training Center's administrative area, 

Maj. Gen. Gerald C. :Brant, cOlIIJDanding the 

center, revealed recently at Randolph Field 

in a survey of activities under his direction. 

Thirty-two primary, basic and advanQed 

flying schools and one bombingrange are 

involved in the trainiDg program, part of 

the Air Corps' plan to train 30,000 pilote 

annually. 

Newconstruction totalling approximately 

$55,000,000 for the military flying .chool. 

will be reqUired to meet the il'eatly increased 

training program. ~ of the new 

training school. are nearing completion,a. 

in the ca81 of the twin-ell&ined pilot and 

bombardier school at l11ill&ton Field, Houaton, 

Texa8, and the pursuit pilots' Ichool 

at Victoria, Texas. Ielly Field and :Brooks 

1ield, San Antonio, Texa., *Yeterans- of 

many years, are undergoing extensive modernization, 

at a cost of about $6,500,000. 

!welve thouNIld of the 18,000 airmen to 

be trained annually in the GCJ.O!Carea w111 

be airplane pilote, 3,000 will be bombardiers, 

2,000 vill be aerial navigators, and 

1,000 will be observers. Of the 12,000 

fliers, 7,500 will be trained as multiengined 

pilot8, and 4,500 will be taught 

the intricacies of singlll-ell&ined pursuit 

planes. 

three e1~le-eDg1ae a.-anced schoole aa4 

oae gunnary school. Aerial £U.IUlU7 aM. 

boabl11gruees will b. constructed at Jmaerous 

points alouc the Texas coaet froa 

:BroVDavllleto the vicbi vof Lake Charl.s, 

La. 

Ten civilian ele.eniary fllght trainiUC 

scnools,under Air Corps .upervlsion, usiac 

Air Corps planes and equipaent, are nov in 

operation in this ar.... Contracts bav. been 

let to civilian operators for an add1t10nal 

six .choole, which will be in operaUon by 

October,makiuc a total of 16 clvil elementary 

flight training schools. 

LocaUon of 'he new pr1Jlary vainiuc 

fields are: :Bonham, !exa.; Ch1ckaaba, 

Okla.; Vernon,Texa.; Uvalde,Texa.;Col.-n, 

Texaa, aDd :Balliucer, Texas. 

Onebade flying sehool,operated by ciTilian 

per.onnel, and two military ba.ic 

tlyiuc schoole are in operation in the ar ... 

\o4.q. Three additional ail!M.ry baeic 

.choole will be a4ded '0 the far-fiUIIC 

training 8ystem. 81te. bave been .elected 

at bid. Okla., and at a po1at midvq be- 

(Continued OIl pece 26) 

NEGRO SCHOOL OPENS 

The firat .chool to train Xegro .tudent. 

as officers in the Arrq Air Forces was opened 

forllally last month at 1'u8ke.r;ee,Ala., 

whenMaJ.Gen. Walter R. Yeaver, cOlllland1rac 

the SoutheastAir Oorp. Traininc Center,set 

into aotion activities of the _inetT-ninth 

Pur8uit Squadronand Pilot !raining School. 

In announcingthe details of the expanded 

training facilities, General :Brant pointed 

out that a8 late as June, 1939, there ver. !he first group of lJegro aviation aadets 

only two Air Corp. flyill& schools in the .at in the ahadowof the .onuaent to :Booker 

entire nation - Bandolph Jield, a combination 

priaary aDd basic .chool and Ielly on the campusof !tilekegee In.ti tute to hear 

T. Ya8hincton, famed leader of their race, 

Field, 'he advanced flyill& 8chool. !WO General Weaveraddress the group atten4iag 

yeare and a few d~8 later, 32 major flyill& 

field. comprise the Gulf Coast Air President ot fuakegee In.titute,al.o .poke 

the openill&ceremoni.s. Dr. r.D. Patter.on, 

Corps Training Center alone,with almost a. andG.L. Wa8hington, civilian direotor of 

many .choo1l1n .ach of the other twotraiaing 

eentu8, tb.. West Coast and the South- 

Iloni.s. 

the flying school, acted a..... t.r of oereeast 

.A.1rCorp. !raining Centers. Oaptain 1I0el r. Parr1ah 18 Air Corps 

The thirty-tvo schools are divided into !raining J>etachaaentcOJlJlWlderat !uekeeee 

three categorie8, primary, basic and ad- and was &IlOII& the Air J'orces .fficers par- 

'Vaneed. Whenthe progr&ll svill&s into high tieipatiuc in the procru. MaJ. Gen. JiI.B. 

gear late this fall, there will be 16 pri- Arnold, Chief of the Arftq Air lorcas, aDd 

mary schools, six bade tlyiBg schools, Gen. George C. Marshall, \he Ohlef of Statf, 

five twin-engine advanced flying schoole, sent congratulatory aesBages. 

-13-

ALASK.A 

Lalld 1l.Btd: Hcmgar und e: const..-uction 

feaporary ralil.ocofttr01 t~r Boat dock (10 l.ce?) 

, ~arte"..aster warehouse

the A~y Ai~ 1o~ces in A£as~a: the t~anspo~t St. Kihie£ at lakutat and I£ia.na 1o£cano, PhotOf~aphed 

f~o. an 12 Photog~aphic p£ane attached to the photo squad~on at I£.endo~f lie£d.

LANDING various materials under consideration 

were worth a more extended test 

at Langley Field. Truck tests on swampy 

ground were held at Langley Field to obtain 

some idea of the efficacy of a met in 

distributing a plane load. Tire damage 

studies were conducted with various surfaces. 

Five materials were tested with plane 

loads at Langley Field. 

The test program developed certain characteristics 

which should be found in any 

mat suitable for use as an emergency landing 

mat. These include strength, continuity, 

surface, speed of laying, speed of 

production and rehabilitation, plus variable 

factors whose relative importance could 

not be immediately determined, such as ease 

of camouflage, cost, cargo space required 

to transport one runway, weight, ease of 

reconditioning, skid proofing, usable life, 

amount of maintenance required, and accelerated 

tire wear. 

Three materials were found which, in the 

opinion of the Engineer Board, were suitable 

for use as an emergency landing mat. 

These three materials were steel plank, 

Irving grid with slip ring connectors and 

rod and bar grid with wedge connectors. 

In July of 1940, 150,000 sq. ft. of 

foreign designed Chevron grid, and 150,000 

sq. ft. of steel plank were purchased for 

test at Langley Field. The Chevron grid 

was found to lack the continuity required 

at the joints. While the steel plank presented 

a more satisfactory surface, it was 

slippery when wet and muddy, and it was 

difficult to camouflage. Accordingly, the 

Engineer Board proceeded with a two-fold 

program: elimination of the shortcomings 

of the steel plank, and the development of 

a satisfactory grid type mat. 

In regard to the former, improvements 

were provided to facilitate coupling of the 

planks. A raised button pattern was provided 

to inhibit skidding, and truck tests 

indicated that the buttons helped to a certain 

extent. Efforts to camouflage the 

ANDREWS keys to vast areas. And as 

a veteran American air officer has been 

placed in conunandof the Caribbean defense 

zone, so the British have placed Air Marshal 

Sir Brooke-Popham in charge of the 

entire defenses of the Singapore area. 

The Caribbean Defense Command has under 

its jurisdiction the Panama Canal Department; 

the Puerto Rican Department and the 

base commands at Trinidad, St. Lucia, Antigua, 

the Bahamas, Jamaica and British 

Guiana. The Caribbean Air Force,which is, 

incidentally, the largest air force in the 

history of the United States, operates 

directly under the Caribbean DefenseCommand 

with components located at the various 

bases. All army air forces in the Panama 

Canal and Caribbean areas were grouped under 

a single command in June. 

Three Ar~ Air Force brigadier generals 

were promoted to be temporary major generals 

in July. They are Brig. Gen. Gerald 

C. Brant, commanding the Gulf Coast Air 

Corps Training Center, Randolph Field, 

Texas; Brig. Gen. Rush B.Lincoln, commanding 

the Mississippi Valley Technical Command, 

Chanute Field, Rantoul, Ill., and 

Brig. Gen. Vialter R. Weaver, commanding 

the Southeast Air Corps Training Center, 

Maxwell Field, Ala. 

Three other Air Corps generals were assigned 

to new commands during the month. 

They are Maj. Gen. John F. Curry, assigned 

as head of the Rocky Mountain Technical 

Command, with headquarters at lJ::mry Field, 

Colo.; Maj. Gen. Barton K. Yount, to command 

the West Coast Training Center, Moffett 

Field, Calif., and Brig. Gen. William 

O. Ryan, to command the Fourth Interceptor 

Command, with headquarters at Riverside, 

Calif. 

Promoted to be temporary brigadier generals 

were Col.Henry J.F. Miller, commanding 

the Air Corps Maintenance Command, 

Wright Field, Ohio; Col. Ralph P. COUSins, 

Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Washington, 

D.C., and Col. Edwin B. Lyon,formerly commanding 

officer of the West Coast Air Corps 

Training Center, Moffett Field, Calif. 

steel planks by paint met with a considerable 

degree of success. However, the smooth 

surface, when viewed from a certain angle, 

reflects light in such a manner that no A welded rod and bar type of grid has been 

paint would disguise it. A steel plank developed which is somewhat cheaper and 

with openings stamped in it was devised to speedier to fabricate than the riveted 

permit grass to grow through and help dis- Irving grid. Preliminary general concluguise 

the surface. 

sions indicate that the steel plank type of 

Development work on the grid type mat mat has far more bearing surface than the 

resulted in the purchase of 450,000 sq. ft. grid, requires 50% less cargo space,and 

for service test in the field. The mat can be produced much more rapidly. The 

appears to have the physical characteristics open grid type of mat is definitelyeasier 

required, but costs 50% more than the steel to camouflage than the steel plank type, 

plank and cannot be produced as rapidly. and is skidproof. 

- 16 -

Et:H~IQlIE 

- .... 

An epidemic of broken cylinder heads bas conditions the time lag in the propeller 

indicated a necessity for a review by the pitch changing mechanism prevents failures 

Materiel Division, Wright Field, of the in that the slowing of the engine is not 

technique of correctly operating the rapid enough to produce excessive cylinder 

throttle and propeller control. The sequence 

of events is important. While this upon to prevent failures because it depends 

pressures. This feature cannot be relied 

information is published in various technical 

orders, it is consolidated here for the viscosity of the oil supplied to the 

upon the clearances in the propeller and 

ready reference and emphasis. 

propeller. 

In the training type airplane equipped To reduce to a minimum failures oaused 

with a two-pod tion propeller and an engine by excessive cylinder pressures, it i. recommended 

that the procedure used when re- 

having no altitude rating, the technique 

of reducing engine power ~ differ somewhat 

from that required for satisfactor,y 

ducing engine power be: 

1. Close throttle or supercharger control 

to obtain desired manifold pressure. 

operation of high performance tactical type 

airplanes. 

2. Reduce eZ1€inespeed by operating 

Following take-off in a training type the propeller control. 

airplane, the throttle may be left in the 3. Lean mixture to obtain the desired 

advanced position while the propeller is values. 

shifted to the high pitch position without When increasing engine power, the procedure 

should be accomplished in the re- 

subjecting the engine to any adverse operating 

condition. In the tactical type airplane 

engine, with its constant speed proverse 

manner: 

peller and variable altitude horsepower 1. Set mixture control "rich.- 

ratings, operating procedure on the above 2. Increase engine speed by operating 

method, when redttcing engine power, may 

the propeller control. 

cause serious overstressing and failure of 3. Open throttle or supercharger control 

to obta.inthe desired manifold pres- 

engine parts. . 

sure. If necessary, readjust the mix.- 

When power is reduced as outlined above, ture control and throttle to obtain the 

the throttles are wide open, supplying all exact value desired. 

air possible to the internal supercharger, 

so that the cylinder obtains a heavy charge It is aga.in desired to emphasize the 

of mixture. In attempting to burn this point that the above holds true in airplane. 

dense charge at a slow engine speed, preignition, 

and often detonation, is expericharger. 

equipped with or without the turbo superenced. 

Failures resulting from these conditions 

are cracked cylinder heads, stuck 

and broken piston rings, burned pistons A streamlined aircraft maintenance system 

and scored cylinders. 

is being introduoed at Gunter Field, Montgomery, 

Ala., following the efficient 

In airplanes equipped with an exhaust production methods of automobile and airturbine 

supercharger, the excesd ve strains plane factories throughout the country. 

on the engine are accentuated because of 

the attempt of the turbine to maintain a Prior to entering the hangar to be startconstant 

exhaust back pressure with a 41- ed on their course down the production line, 

minished amount of exhaust gases. airplanes will be subjected to a thorough 

cleaning process. The aircraft radio equip- 

Instances of 50 to 60 inches of mani- ment and other instruments will then be 

fold pressure have been reported when cyliil- checked; engines tuned, or replaced where 

der heads have fe~led following take-off. necessary; bolts and brakes adjusted, and 

Under conditions of excessivemanifold pres- minor repairs effected. Each operation 

sure immediate failure or overheating are will be performed at one of a series of 

usually experienced. Sometimes the final stations set up along the production line, 

failure is noted several hours later when where there will be on hand groups of topcruising 

at very moderate power. Under some flight, experienced mechanics who have had 

-17-

8pecialized training for their particular 

Job8. The idea of keeping the 8ame men 

continual17 on the 8ame Job will not onl7 

re8ul t in a coneiderable improvementin the 

quali t7 of work but will prove a time-8aTing 

factor. 

Thi8 accelerated maintenance 878temwill 

be run on a 24-hour baai. in three eighthour 

shitt8. The night and d.q cre". will 

al ternate veekl7. An improved lighting 87'- 

tem will be in.talled to eliminate the 87e 

8train heretofore encountered b7 mechanic. 

wo1'kingat night. 

Before airplane8 are returned to the hangar 

line. the7 will be careful17 in8pected 

b7 trained technicians and sent up for a 

flight test. 

With the inauguration of this maintenance 

878tem,squadrons at Gunter Field will have 

an increased number of plane8 in commiseion, 

airplanes rarely being absent from the f17- 

ing line longer than four hours. 

Someof the time-saTing deTices to beutilized 

in thi8 s7stemwill be electrical te8t 

benches for checking booster coil., 8olenoid 

switches and magnets, and aportable qdrauJ.- 

ic brake servicing stand. consisting of a 

drum ot compressed air andbrake fluid, pressure 

gauges, bleed lines, etc. 

Lieut. Col. Aubrey Hornsby, Commandant 

of the Basic Flying School at Gunter Field, 

an engineering officer of wide experience, 

feels that this new arrangement will not 

only relieve the pressure of maintenance in 

the squadrons and keep a greater numberot 

planes in the air at all times, but will 

prove the meansof giving specialized training 

and actual experience to the new officers 

and enlisted menwhowill be aasigned 

to the miscellaneous crews. The7 willleam 

the process of maintenance 8tep by step. 

Class room lectures will also be given for 

their benefit. 

Thetrained specialists and noncc.d8e10ned 

officers will Comefrom the Seventy-Second 

Materiel Squadron, but each squadron 

at the field will furnish officers and men 

to learn the process. 

A representative of the Vultee Aircraft, 

Inc., at Gunter Field. Mr. John Harris, 

hal aided in the establishment of the 

streamlined maintenance system. Capt. H. 

F. Muenter will be the executive technical 

supervisor of the system, with Lieut. ~E. 

G-ree.l'as officer in charge of the maintenance. 

In view of the tremendous amountot 

maintenance required in order for this station 

to continue its schedule of 750 fly- 

ing hours a d.q, or an average of from 10 

to 12 hours for each assigned plane, a 

rough idea mq be 

..... 

gained of just howbeneficial 

this new maintenance system ~ 

prove to be. 

A redesigned portable work shelter has 

proved exceptionally valuable at Goodfellow 

Field, San Angelo, Texas, in protecting mechanics 

against both excessive heat and 

bitter cold while working on aircraft at 

the Texas air station. 

The new shelters are steel frames covered 

over with waterproof canvas, wi th flaps on 

the sides which may be raised or lowered. 

Mounted on wheels, the shelters may be 

quickly moved from one place to another. 

The floor is mounted in the shelter at a 

posi tion where all parts of the engine are 

accessible without muchreaching or stooping. 

Immediately beneath the engine the 

floor is cut awq and a detachable oil pan 

may be suspended there to catch oil or 

dropped parts. The floor is also cut a~ 

beneath the propeller, so that it may be 

rotated as it is worked on. 

During the cold winter months before 

Goodfellow Field was opened, Lieut. Col. 

George M. Palmer, post commander.who was 

at that time doing his ownoffice work in 

an unheated building, sitting on a nail 

keg with a typewriter on his knees, decided 

that his men, whowould soon be coming to 

the new post to work on airplanes on the 

outside, were going to need someprotection 

against the iC7 wind and blistering sun ~ 

the '(est Texas plain. 

The Colonel mentioned to his men the work 

shelter he had seen at Duncan Field, but 

could not forget that they werecomplicated 

and required muchtime to build. Mr. Sgt. 

H. V. Johnson came forth with a plan for a 

smaller and simpler shelter that could be 

built with civil service labor at the San 

Antonio Air Depot. In addition to being 

cheaper. the new shelter could be built 

quickly in relatively large numbers. 

The shelters are proving to be more 

valuable than anticipated. The7 not onl7 

protect the men from severe sunburn, but 

also prevent the ship from becoming so hot 

as to burn oneIs hand when touching it. 

In cold weather the flaps maybe fastened 

downto form a copy and dry workroom.When 

the rain does not fall the shelters also 

keep out dust. 

Maj. Gen. Arnold and Robert A. Lovett, 

Asst. Secret&r7 of Warfor Air, reviewed 700 

aviation cadets Augu.st1 at Randolph Field. 

-18-

JUNGLE 

Do Record Job 

RUNWAY 

FACILITIES 

Plant Builders Aided 

EXPANSION 

A qe l"Wlwrqhas been carved 011t of the 

heart of the panamanian jungle, in a major 

engineering triumph over nature, to pro- 

Tide landing and take-off facilities for 

~ Air Force planes based at Hovard 

Field, newest air field in the Panama Canal 

defense zone. A great slab of ooncrete, 

more than- 85,000 square Tards, was poured 

in 21. ~s. 

From start to finish, nature interposed 

obstacles to the task. The thick, tangled 

Jungle offered every sort of impediment to 

the plotting of an air field bT ordinary 

eurveTiD8 methods, and the impending rainT 

season threatened to break down the work. 

The first problem was to plot the course 

of the l"Wl~. A new twist was given to 

the art of ~eying bT selecting the site 

from the air. There was the problem confronting 

the Air Corps of attempting to 

present its decision as to the position of 

the l"WlWar.when going over the location 

on foot, while in the air the pllots could 

point out exactlT what theT wanted. 

Tran81ating their wishes to the ConstructiD8 

~termaster'B surveTor8 in the 

bush, however, was almost impossible, becanae 

the pilots could not recognize the 

plot except when fiTing over it. So the 

decision wall made to survey from the air. 

Several nights were made over the area, 

prevailing winds were studied and seasonal 

chaDges noted. Through the camera opening 

in the floor of the bomber, lOO-poundbags 

ot powdered lime were dropped at regalarlTtimed 

intervals. Surveying parties on the 

ground located the white lime-bursts. After 

a second trial, theT set up their in- 

~l. 

struments, mapped the route of the bomber 

'b7 triangulation, and. established the l"Wlposition. 

!he entire contract, including aprons, 

runwrq and taxi strips, required the pouring 

ot 180,000 square yards of concrete. 

The contractor turnished eqtlipment, labor. 

.uperT1sion and miscellaneous materials 

other than cement, sand, rock and water. 

which were supplied by the government. 

Project-engineering problems connected 

with the requests ot inn~str1al firms for 

Government aid for expansion purposes. in 

order to enable them to meet scheduled deliveries 

on contracts already held or about 

to be entered into with the Air Corps. are 

being met at Wright Field by the Facilities 

Expansion Branch. 

The branch. which will be a year old next 

month (September) forms part of the Industrial 

Planning Section of the Materiel Division. 

It analyzes and evaluates every cost 

applying to industries set up with Government 

aid, determines that the subject is 

adequate and suitable for the production 

intended, and that the output for each project 

is standard for the particula.r type of 

industry. 

The problems of tax amortization of expansion 

financed bT companies with their own 

oapi tal to meet increased production requirements 

of the Government are also included 

in its duties. In executing this work a 

group of field personnel operate under the 

direction of the Wright Field office. 

!l!odate the branch has thus project-engineered. 

the expansion of some 80 plants 

ranging thebe from $38,000 to $56.000,000. 

at a total cost which is not communicated 

to the a.verage taxp~er for fear of the disastrous 

effect on blood pressure. It is 

alVqB worldng with 40 to 50 expansionprojects 

in various stages of progress. It has 

also refused expansions of industry that 

could not be justified and has pared down 

others. thereby saving the Governmentseveral 

hundred million dollars. 

The section is doing its small part in 

what it believes to be a keystone task for 

the Air Corps in project-engineering industries 

all the war from setting up magnesium 

reduction plants to airplane and engine 

plants. In addition, ~t has to date 

analTzed and certified for approval the expansion 

of some 360 industries that are to 

receive the benefits of tax amortization • 

On the technical side arose the task of The oockplte of BT-l4' s are so hot during 

the Texas version of the summermonths 

combat1D8and preventing cracks or checking, 

in the concrete. which experts said that fifteen instructors at Randolph Field 

would occur from too rapid evaporation ot lost an averace ot eight pounds each during 

the last two month,. TheT al¥q8 re- 

the water cOAtent ot the cement. due to 

(Cont1nued on P~ 22) 

cain their 108t poundace Inthe fall. 

-19-

SOVIET .•. 

low al ti tude or llhed&ehoppingll 

aids in hitting the target, bllt at 

the same time lowen the striking force of 

the bomb. hrthermore, where an object 1. 

well protected by antiaircraft defense 

weapons, heaV7 1088es mq be inflicted 

upon such attacld.ng aircraft. . 

Horizont~ action fram great altitude 

~ be utilized against extensive are8~. 

The chances of hi tt1ng a target of some 

,score ot 8quare meters in extent are negligible. 

Horizontal bombardmenttrom average 

al t1 tude will. 11kew1se afford slight 

effect1veness and w1ll be rather hasardous 

where the target 18 protected b7 antiaircraft 

artille~. 

Only power-dive bombing affords accuracy, 

effectiveness and striking power of bombs 

together w1th les8er danger from the action, 

of the antiaircraft defenle weapons on the 

ground. 

The essential feature8 of the power-dive 

bombing cons1st of the dropping of the 

bomb. at the momentwhen the airplane 18 

direct17 over the target, nying at a 

sharp vertlcal a.ugle. A1m1ng i8 accomplished 

by the direction of the airplane itself. 

When pover-diving at a sharp angle the 

traJecto17 of the plane and bombi8 nearly 

the same. 

lfheoretlcal17, it might be said that 

when power-diVing at an Mgle of 90 0 the 

trajectory of the night 01' the airplau 

and that of the bombare identic&1. The 

sharper the angle of the power-d1viiJg airplane 

the greater the accuracy of a1m. At 

the same t1me errors in d.etermin1D&the 

exact altitude, speed of flight and Tarl&- 

tions in the course of flight have a JI1't\Ch 

lesser effect on the accuracy-of the attack 

than in horizontal bombing. There remains, 

however, the intluence of ,the w1nd 

on the flight of the bamb. The effect ot 

wind on the night of the bomb, however, 

18 188e in the circumstances, Bince the 

speed of the bomb 18 incre.eed while the 

time that the bombis affected b7 the rind 

is reduced. 

_ On approac111nga target the power-dive 

bombers enjoy tull treedom ot maneuver. 

They do not require a stage of horhontal 

flight to take aim, as in the case of bClllDbinge 

from horizontal night. The very act 

of power-diving 18 performed in the course 

of flight, thotJgh it lnvol TeS the 10.. of 

altitude at tremendoae speed. This flight 

aanwverabili ty greatly complicates the 

aiming of antiaircraft weapons. The greatest 

108ses mq be expected from barrage 

fire, but even here maUers are facilitated 

by the fact that power-diT1Dgat tremendou 

speed reduces the time during which the 

bomber remains w1thin the zone of antiaircraft 

fire. 

Along nth the advant8ces involved in 

power-diving, there are also certain disadvantages. 

Targets JD8,1' be attacked only 

with small elements. In the cir~.taace., 

the disper8ed aircraft enable hostile pur- 

8111t planes to attack small group.. of 

planes or 1nd1Tidua1 aircraft. 

!he th..,.aBd aetua1 practice of powediva 

bombing re8Ulted in the construction 

of a new type of plane--the power-dive 

bomber. The construction features of the 

latter include aileron. and reverse Icre". 

designed to retard the speed of the craft 

during poyer-dive actions. In the case of 

an ord1n&r7 airplane the speed attained in 

power-d1v1ug so intensities the action of 

the motor as to increase considerably the 

rad1ue involved in coming out of powerdives. 

The striking power of the bombis 1D.- 

creased, Bince 'being released in the process 

of the power-dive, it alre~ posse8ses the 

ini tial velocity of the airplane. In dropping 

bombs from horizontal night the initial 

velocl ty of the dropped bomb1e zero. 

The emplo1Dlentof air bombs wi th react1 ve 

propelling devices, affording the bombs 

additional velocity, further angment their 

d~structive power. 

-20- 

The al ti tude of the airplane in coming. 

out of a pOYer-dive 18 proport1onall7 

greater wi th the increasecl speed ot the 

craft. Greater altita4e renders aiming 

more d1fficul t and oomplicates the bombin«. 

The emplOJlllen\of device. for slowing d:awn 

the dive of the plane retarde the drop and 

thus faeili tates the functions of the airplane 

orew. The power-diT1ng Junker-a? 

bomber aUa1ns a speed in power-diving 01' 

abov,t 470 miles per hour. The emplo1Dlent 

ot the sl~ovn devices lowers thie 

speed to 280 miles per hour. J'or the purpose 

of increasing the rad1ue of action of 

the Junker-a? extra gas containers are 

carried on bombracks under the airplane 

w1ngs. 

At the outbreak of the Second World War 

in Earope only the German air service poesessed 

special aviation units of powerd1ve 

bomber.. These vere equipped with 

the Junker-a? and Renschel-l23 planes and 

were extensively 

Poland. 

employedin the var~t 

The 8iAf;le-motor, two-place power-dive 

lConcluded on Page 22)

ORGANIZATION 

OF 

ARMY SUPPORT AVIATION 

GENERAL 

HEADQUARTERS 

ARMY 

AIR FORC~S 

I 

AIR FORCE 

COMBAT COMMAND 

---------- 

AIR SUPPORT 

srAFF 

- 

SECTION 

...-. 

ARMORED 

FORCE 

-1 

FIRST 

ARMY 

FIFTH 

- AIR SUPPORT 

COMMAND 

FIRST 

- AIR SUPPORT 

COMMAND 

BOMBER 

COMMAND 

1- 

1 

FIRST 

AIR ~ 

FORCE 

- 

SECOND 

ARMY 

INTERCEPTOR 

COMMAND 

1 SECOND 

AIR SUPPORT 

COMMAND 

l- 

BOMBER 

COMMAND 

1- 

INTERCEPTOR 

COMMAND 

SECOM> 

AIR t--- 

FORCE 

I-- 

Y 

THIRD 

ARMY 

,FOURTH 

ARMY 

- 

THIRD 

AIR SUPPORT 

COMMAND ~ 

THIRD 

BOMBER 

AIR I--- 

COMMAND 

/ 

1- 

FORCE 

INTERCEPTOR 

COMMAND 

FOURTH 

AIR SUPPORT I- 

COMMAND 

SOMBER- 

COMMAND 

1 

FOl.RTH 

AIR 

FORCe: 

j.-,-- 

The 

Ail' Staff 

INTE~Ce:PTOR 

COMMAND 

h

"VIET ." (Ooncluded) Junker-87 bomber 

has a maximum speed of 206 miles per hour, 

a radius of action of about 519 miles. and 

is capable of lifting one 1,000 lb. bomb 

and four 110 lb. bombs. These planes are 

employed in the bombing of brid8es. railwa:r 

centers, industrial objectives, as vell 

as against troop concentrations. 

The one-place pursu1 t ~lane and powerdive 

Henschel-l'23 bCllllberhave a me.rlmum 

speed of about 220 miles per hour,a range 

of 560 miles, carr;y 440 Ibs. of bCllllbsand 

are armed with four machine guns. !hese 

planes are utilized primarily in action on 

the battlefield Bt;atnst artillery batteries, 

machine-gun nests, troops in shelters. tanks 

and other targets. 

00nsiderab1e assistance was afforded by 

the power-dive bombers to their forces on 

. the ground. A major portion of these Wall 

attached tomoblle motorized and mechanized 

units with the m1ss1onofinsuring the continued 

progress of these units. Oontact 

with the bombers was maintained by radio. 

The mCllllenthat mechanized col'WlUlsencoun.- 

tered resistance the aircraft were called 

upon for assistance. Oombined air 8Ild 

ground attacks against hostile troop co~ 

centrations and antitank batteries soon 

paved the wa:r for the advance of the Germans. 

A few words are necess~ on the tactics 

employed by the power-dive bombers in attacking 

objectives protected by antiaircraft 

artilleZT. A group of five airplanes, two 

of which are power-dive machines, approach 

the target at an altitude closely within 

max1mwa range of the antiaircraft fire. 

The power-dive bombers then immediately 

descend upon the target. acting as if they 

had been hit b7 the antiaircraft fire below. 

The fire of the antiaircraft artilleZT is 

then concentrated on the airplanes continuing 

their fiight--meanwhile the power-dive 

bombers complete their bombing missions. 

The action of the power-dive bombers has 

been such as thoroughly to just1t;y their 

existence. The successful action of bombardment 

aviation. however. calls for the 

combined employment of different methods 

in the execution of bombardmentmissions. 

Xrasnqa Zv;yexda, 23 Mq 1940 

JUNGLE .•. (Ooncluded) high dqtime temperatures. 

The newly laid concrete was, 

therefore, cured by covering with watersoaked 

burlap, followed. after its initial 

set, by a coat of black asphalt emult1On •. 

This latter sprqing operation also reduces 

the sun glare reflected by the runwa:r surface. 

which is an important construction 

detail to prevent blinding of the landing 

pilots. 

Speed achieved on this project was large.. 

ly due to the fact that the constructing 

quartermaster had planned for months in ad,- 

vance, and his force had acCtUDUlateda huge 

pile of rock at its own quarr;y. Roads had 

been hacked out from quarr;y to runwa:rs1te, 

and from the cement plant to the work area; 

cement had been ordered from the States 

and arrangements made for its transportation 

from dockside via the Thatcher Jerry 

across the Oanal and thence by truck to the 

storage sheds. These factors had an important 

bearing on the progress of the air 

field when the actual work was started. 

Amongthe prelimin&rT tasks accomplished 

by the Oonstructing QDartermaster's force 

were the clearing of about 1,000 acres of 

jungle underbru.sh; moving ot 300,000 cubic 

yards of dirt. and the leTel1ng of a long 

27-foot hill to fill in the hollo... There 

were 32,000 cubic ;yards of rock mined at 

the Howard Field qual'r7 and 14,000 cubic 

yards of sand scooped from the beach at 

:Bru.ja Point. The task reqa1red 186,000 

bags of cement. 

Howard Field is one of a group of ~ 

Air Force .installations being oonstructed 

to supplement the vi tal defenses of the 

Oanal Zone. It is veZT large, when completed 

having facilities to accommodate 

several thousand officers and enlisted men. 

Part of the constru.ction program alre~ 

has been completed, and some facilities 

are tIl use. 

INSIDE THE BACK COVER 

!he cartoon on the inside o'f the back 

cover is one of a series being distribu.ted 

by the lmndreds of thousands by the :Britieh 

Government to emphasize the danger to ~ 

tional security of careless talk which reveals 

information of value to the eneJIIT. 

Poster-size reproductions of the series 

(one ot which will be carried in each issue 

.(Translatedat the knq War Oollege. Wash.- ot m AIR OQBP8NEWSLETTER)suitable tor 

ington, condensed by 001. "I. M. :Barrows, posting in barracks and elsewhere, ma;y be 

"I.A., and reprinted from The Milit&r7 Beview 

of the Oommandand General Staff to the Intelligence Division, Office ot the 

obtained by station commanders on request 

School.) 

Ohief of the Air Oorps. Washington. 

-22-

SPANISH 

.8-A,n~erican r e a rmaroe n t must it l~, "'1{}!e t :~,}f1 

guns , at least in regard to ."'>"j~ ~i .i . 

Hemisphere defense wi l l Cl!:p':,,; '.;' ou , ;,i i'> 

to win the friendship of H,p , I q Arno r icae';. 

That is the assertion of Prof,"." ., 'ie.'; iL'Ul~' 

Gueydan, distinguished schoLH O' head "J ,!,p 

Spanish Department at Barksclaip );"li La. 

Air bases in the SOllthAJ,O('! ;,,'1 

United 

the 

States 

professor 

against us by 

loans for nrmat

WE LEAIlJWED... (Concluded) nights. Of 

the seven cross countr,r trips taken. six 

terminated on airports. The aver~ di ... 

tance was 50 miles. The enstamar,y procedure 

vas to ent loose from the tow plane 

at 3.000 feet. When thermal activitl' vas 

encountered. the pilot would spiral. gaining 

all the al ti tude possible. He would 

then resume his course until the next thermal 

vas encountered. when the spiraling 

would be repeated. 

It sOWldseasl' but required considerable 

practice. The advantages in landing on an 

airport at the te1'lD1nationof the night 

are twofold. J'iret,l'OU are as8U1'ed of a 

decent landing field without last-minute 

discoveries of ditches. power lines. cattle, 

etc. Secondll', the sailplane Can be towed 

to the homeairport bl' airplane tow with 

the resulting saving in trouble of di ... 

mantling the sailplane and trucking 1t baclt 

on a trailer. 

~_ ••(Concluded) to exceed 250 to 300 

metere. Action at greater range ~ be 

resorted to onll' where the aircraft are 

equipped with cannon. The best armed airplane 

so far has proved to be the machineglm 

and cannon equipped pursuit plane. 

In the case of the swift bomber. threat 

of pursu1t craft maehine guns is onll' from 

one direct1on--40 degress in the rear hemiaphere--primarill' 

~nst the lower portions 

of the bombers. 

The modern night antiaircraft defense 

is suffering from a variety of important 

deficiencies; as a consequence, night raids 

have proven relatively safe. The Germans 

have transferred their efforts to night 

undertaldngs. 

The value of the experience to be derived 

from the raids on London is exceptlonal17 

great. inasmuch as it has permitted the 

verification of a series of theoretical 

assumptions. Someof these m~ be noy corrected, 

others as thoraugh4r refuted. Of 

equally vi tal importance is this experience 

in the construction of airplanes andmotors. 

From Krasnaya. ZYyema. 

31 December1940 

(Translated at the Army War College. Was~ 

ington, D.C•• and condensed bl' Oapt. O. O. 

Michelmann. Mili tBr7 Intelligence .• 

Reprinted from ~ MilitarY Reyiey of the 

Commandand General Staff School. Fort 

~eevenworth, Kans.) 

~ ~ •• (Ooncluded) forces--particnlarll' 

armored diT1sions. Ooordinated action 

of armored ground forces. in conetant 

cOlllllUD.icationbl' radio with cooperat1Dgdive 

bomber forces. has proved to be the decicting 

factor in maD7 of the campaigns of the 

European war. 

Earll' experiments with the technique of 

dive bombing were made in Hai ti bl' the Merine 

Oorps in 1920 and 1921. at a time when 

the entire Marine aviation group consisted 

of onll' 42 pilots. In these early efforts 

DIU's of World War fame were used, and both 

bombs and bombracks vere improvised. 

Experiments vith dive bombing by naval 

aviation between this time and 1927 were 

conducted most17 with Vought Ooreairs and 

Curtiss FalCons, the latter an Armyairplane. 

Theories of bomb fragmentation, 

angle of descent, optiIllUll altitude, .1lc. 

were developed in this period. Oomplicated 

bomb sights which had beenused earlier 

were discarded as increasinglT steeper 

dives enabled more effective bombing to be 

accomplished .erell' byus1ng the gun sights. 

Results of this early development were 

first released to the public in 1927 at the 

first Miami Air Baees, when targets placed 

in full view of the spectators were subjected 

to dive bombing sttacks bl' naval 

aviation units in an impressive exhibition. 

At this time Na..,. and Marine Oorps authorities 

decided to design a special plane for 

dive bombing, as the potentialities of this 

method of warfare had become so evident. 

This first dive bomber was the famous Curtiss 

.Hell Diver,. p:roduced.in 1929. 

Dive bombing vas eJltPloyedextenei vely between 

1927 and 1931 by Marine forces in 

Nicaragua against bandit and revolutiOD8r7 

factions in that countrT. Sta.nd.e.rdplanes 

were used, with 3O-pound fragmentation 

.personnel. bombs. 

Their use bY' the Germane. whoplo1c:e4 up 

the idea in this count17, vas particularll' 

effective in the Lowlands campaign and in 

:B'rance. 

Sp.uu:SB ••a South American countrTis discussed. 

A short address is made bl' Professor 

GueTdan. in which he relates native 

anecdotes and draw from his experience a 

picture of the pS7Chologr of the people. 

A film obtained from the Pan American Union 

at WashilllSton, D.O•• illustrates each talk, 

and the nmaic of the countrT is pl~ed on 

& phonograph. The lectures are given to 

afford ~ officers a good look into what 

make. the Latins tick. a knowledge that is 

indispensable. the professor insists. 

-24-

ALASKA 

Down on Island 

RESCUE 

The pilot of a L1SA landed on a tiD1' 

i8land in the Alaskan wild8 last month when 

the right engine quit while he was flying 

in a 8i~8hip formation after completing a 

photographic mi88ion. Kember8 of the crew 

escaped un8cathed. 

Mr. Sgt. Barron O. Power8 and Tech. Sgt. 

Ralph S. Davi8. members of the First Photo 

Section at Maxwell Field, described the 

forced landin« when the7 returned to the 

Southeast A.ir COrp8Training Center recentl7, 

after spending a month on the photo 

mission in Alaska. 

"Ye had accomplished our mission and had 

taken off from Juneau on the ~~ back," 

the7 said. "It was 1 p. M. when the right 

motor 8aid 'whoot' and quit at 5,300 feet. 

• The pilot teathered the propeller. 

"Ye sat quiet, buckling on sa.:f'et7 belts. 

Wewere a 8i~ship formation of B-l8A's. 

The other five ships wheeled over us. We 

were headed down. Some jagged mountain 

ground the inmshing water left. Weate 

lome canned goods. We'Were shivering, and 

bull t a tire al though it wasn't cold. 

"The other five ships in the formation 

roared low. and we signaled nobody was 

hurt. lie began to hear the putt-putt of 

a motor launch. A Oanadian doctor out 

fishing had seen U8 go down. He vent for 

help. In leV81!1hours some men from the 

Oanadian Ro;ral Air lorce base at Prince 

Rupert, came tor us in a larger launch. 

"We had bacon and eggs at the Prince 

Bupert barrack8 that night ••. and 8a;r, if 

those .liC~ fliers were an7 nicer to U8. 

the7 would have had to dress and undress 

us. The7 treated us 11ke kings. 

"All the Canadians were like that ••. hospi 

table. Once we landed at a place called 

Prince George, and the entire population 

of 1,500 turned out and ran or rode bic7clel 

seven miles just to greet us. (Gas there 

costs 57 cents a gallon). At the village 

of White Horle on the Yukon, they gave us 

moose steak." 

HOUSING 

peaks were coming up. The Pacific ';as out Noncommissioned officers assigned to the 

.. on one side. NewOrleans A1'lII7Air Base, who are author- 

"Wewere losing altitude fast. The pilot ized to live off the post, now can obtain 

took over for the co-pilot. I heard. him apartments in the low-rent housing projects 

tell the flight c01llll12.ndor we vere going of the ci t;r of NewOrleans at rents ranging. 

down. Not a word was said that waen' t an from $8.25 to $22 per month, all utili ties 

order. Wewere down to 800 feet and the included. 

mountain tops were looming up at us. Lieut. 001. Olarence H. Welch, base com- 

"There were several choices. We could mander, completed arrangements Jul;r 1 with 

'clmte out. Ye could mush downwithout the local housin« body. which operates unwheels. 

but there was a lot of gas in the der the Federal Housing Authori t7, where b 7 

belly tanks of the ship. Wecould plane rental paid b7 noncommissioned officers, 

down on the water but there was the chance will depend upon the soldier's income, inof 

submerging. Suddenl7 we were clear of cluding bothpa;r and allowances. 

the mountains and saw a little island out Rent paid in the housing projects in- 

, in the ocean. It turned out to be 165 cludes all utilities--water, electricit7 

paces long ••• about one tenth as wide. We for l1ghtland refrigeration, and gas for 

saw driftwood and timber in its middle. cooking and hot water. Each home is 

"Ye hit on one end of the island and equipped with an electric refrigerator, 

bounced 50 feet high. The j~ed timber four-burner gas range, hot water heater. 

we would have hit if we hadn't bounced, combination sink and laundry' tra;r • 

• slipped underneath us. We hit again, Rent 8chedules are arranged according to 

bounced, and 8topped. I stepped off from incomeand the space required b7 the famil7. 

the place the plane hit to the edcgeof the It thus might be that a three-bedroom home 

island. It was uact17 165 paces, That might c08t the occupant considerab17 le8s 

plane had travelled 164. Two feet aWB:3" than another tenant would pa;r for a onewas 

deep water • .&.thigh tide therewouldn't bedroom home. In other words, a staff serhave 

been an island. geant wi th no children, requiring onl7 one 

bedroom but enjo;r1ng a certain income,would 

"And the tide was changing when we hit. Pill' ,aore tor an apartment of that size than 

We 8al vB«8d the radio and some other things a lel".. at."Uh three children and a smallbefore 

the water rushed over the ship. We erine .. WOQ1dplQ"for an apartment wi th 

built a fire on the one little strip of three bedroom•• 

-25-

FACILITIES. •• (Concluded) tween Sherman 

and Denison, Texas. The third site 

has not received fromal War~partment approval. 

It is expected that this school 

will be located in central Texas, probably 

in the vicinit7 of Waco. 

Twoadvanced fl71ng schools have been 

functioning throughout the expanSion program, 

Ke1l7 and Brooke. Twoa4ditlolUlla40- 

vaneed fl71ng schools, EUlngtonJ'ield and 

a field at Victoria, Texas, are under CODstra.ction. 

Ellington Field, a combination 

twin engine pilot training school and bombardier 

school, is almost reaAr for occapanc7. 

The single engine pur8U1t training 

school at Victoria will start operations in 

ear17 fall. 

Newsingle engine advanced fl71ng fields 

will be established in the near future at 

Lake Charles, La., andMission, Texas. Mid.- 

land, Texas, will be the site of a multiengine 

pilot school and bombardier.chool. 

Lubbock, Texas, has been cho.en as the location 

for another twin engine school. 

Rounding out the trainbg f~1l1 'ieao~ 

hat10n will be a gwm"",,,~ol .. ~liMton, 

Texas, and bombing and aerbl.~1'7 

ranges along the Texu coast. Mata«orda 

Island and Matagorda Peninsula will be the 

center of this activit7. 

Ke1l7 Field, in addition to operating as 

an advanced fi71ng school, aleo will be the 

replacement center for all student pilots 

in the Gulf Coast area. :l'acllities for 

handling approx1mate172,500 aviation cadets 

now are under constra.ction at that station. 

Future Air Forces pilots will get a fourweek 

indoctrination course there before 

starting actual flight training. 

Illington Field will be the replacement 

center for bombardier students. The 1,000 

airplane observers to be trained in the Gulf 

Coast Air Corps Training Center area will 

be schooled at Brooks Field alongwith twin 

engine pilots. 

Near17 50,000 soldiers, mechanics, avia.- 

tion cadets and officers will be stationed 

in the Gulf Coast Air Corps Training Center 

area at the peak of the training prog1'8IQ. 

Of these there will be 3,000 Air Corps officers, 

10,000 cadets, 34,000 soldiers, and 

l1ngton :l'ield, with 1,444 student piloh, 

bombardiers, and cadets in the Bombardier 

Replacement Center will be second in size. 

Randolph Field will have the largest number 

actual17 engaged in flight training, with 

900 future pilots receiving basic instruction 

at all times. 

.In announcin,; the details of the expand.- 

ed training program, General Brant pointed 

out that 4,236 pilots were trained b7 the 

Arm7 in the l7-7ear period from 1921, when 

the modern training s7stem vent into effect, 

until the summerof 1939, whenthe first Air 

Corps expansion got under ~. In the fiscal 

7ear 1939, total pilot output was about 

325. 

Discussing the $55,000,000 worth of new 

constra.ction, General Brant pointed out 

that $4O,ooo,oooalreadyhas beenauthorhe4 

by' the WarDepartment and that the ade11tional 

funds should be forthcoming as d.etaile4- 

plans are completed. These flgures do not 

include the construction costs of the six ~- 

n$w civilian prim&r7 fl71ng schools. 

!ew. long the center of military- art .. 

.•S:oacontinues to hold her place with 23 of 

the 32 GUlf CoastAlI' Corps Training Center 

flying Ichools being located in the Lone 

Star state. Oklahomaranks second withf1ve .. 

schools. Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and 

Illinois have one each. 

The ten original pr1mar.r flying schools 

in the GCACTCare located at Stamford, Cuero, 

Corsicana, and Fort Worth, all in Texas; 

OklahomaCit7, Tulsa and Mu.skogee,1n Okla.- 

homa; Pine Bluff ,-'Arkansas; Sikeston,M11- 

sourl, and East St. Louis, Illinois. 

Randolph Field and Goodfellow 71eld, San 

Angelo, 'lems, are the tvo military- basic 

f1T1ng Ichools in operation. Brady, Texas, 

is the s1te of the onl7 ci villan operated 

basic f171n,; school in the area. 

....... 

Thirteen autogiros of a new design bave 

been ordered b7 the War Department for test 

b7 the Field Artillery (cooperating with 

the Infantry-, Oavalry-and ArmoredForce) 

8S 'fl7lng observation posts. II The tests 

will be conducted during maneuvers after 

squadron has been formed. 

auxili&r7 personnel, such as medical and The ships will be of the jump take-off 

dental officers, ordnance, signal corps and type, and vill be capable of descending 

quartermaster officers, and contingents of almost vertical17. The7 will be empl07ed 

the A~ Nurse Corps. onl7 over terri tory- in the hands of friend.- 

Kel17 Field will be the largest station 17 troops, the Field Artillery- believing 

within the area in point of cadets, with that len8IIT fighting ships cra.ising at low 

more than 3,000 being assigned to that airspeed voald run head on into ground fire 

drome at all times. This figare includes or be attacked b7 our ow fighter. II if the7 

the cadets in the replacement center. 11- attempted to attack the autogiros. 

-26- 

a

Keep the Record Straight 

By Major WaddeD F. SJDlth 

Man7 claims by dependents of military 

personnel for GovernmentInaurance, National 

Service Life Inaurance, pensions, CaDpensat1on, 

six months' gratui ty and arrears 

of pq are unduly delqed becauee of DOt 

having at hand properly cert1t1ed copies 

of birth and marriage ce~tificates 8n4 

divorce decrees. 

Probably 75 per cent of people OTer the 

ICe of 35 are under the impress10n that 

they cannot obtain a birth certificate. 

Most all of these people can obtain a birth 

certificate if they write to the proper 

office of record. 

Officers and enlisted men themselves do 

not need birth certificates except for 

passport purposes. However, it is al~ 

desirable to have one. It is par8lllount, 

however, that all mili t817 personnel should 

have on file authentic certified copies of 

.the record of birth of wife and children 

and a certified coPT of the record of marriage. 

If ei ther husband or wife hat been 

previously lllaZ'ried, no oertificate of that 

marriage is required but a certified copy 

of the record of the d1vorce is required. 

Whenevera certified copy of the record 

of birth or marriage mar be obtained, then 

no governmental agencycharged with settling 

a cla1ll will accept 8ZIl'th1ngin i te place. 

J'rOlllthis it JIRQ'" be seen that church recorda, 

records of fsa117 !ibles, affidavits 

of parents, affidavits of people who knew 

the parents at ti.e of birth, at.tidavits 

of individuals who witnessed a marriage, 

minieters' certUicates of having performed 

a marri..,;e, etc., are all retuaed. 

Jrca the foregoing it Il8if be seen that 

the first step is to detend.ne it there is 

.Tailable a public record in the state, 

county or ci t1' in. which born and in wMch 

II&rried. Military personnel shO'tlld write 

1IDmediate17 to the proper authori Ues to 

obtain these doCUlllents. Aa the United 

States Veterans Bure~ hat been constantly 

called upon to advise cla1Jnanta where to 

obtain certified copies of these public 

recorda, Mr. :w.ther I. Illis, of the Veteransi 

Administration compiled the nsmes and 

addresses in all states and possessions of 

the offices charged with keeping the public 

records of birth and aarriece. 

The book iI of laUChgreat utility that 

the United States Social Security B~--' 

asked pe1'll1.. ion to reproc1uce it. The 

author is glad to be able to advise that 

this book, under the n8IIleof .00stod1&1U1 

of Public Becords. is in the hands of each 

of 471 field offices of the Social Seouri V 

!oard. !hese field offices are all being 

advised to make the inf01"lDat1onin the book 

aVallable to A1r Corps personnel who c_ 

nsi t eDT ot the field offices. 

In this volWDewill be found a separate 

lilting for each .tate and where to write 

and howfar back the record. of marria«e. 

and birth. go. Where it is found ~t 

.tate records were not kept previous to 

certain dates it will show what county and 

city authorities mar be written to to obtain 

the records locally. The book also 

advises on records of deaths and divorces. 

Obtaining these necessary certified copies 

of the public records is very eas7 to 

put otf. However. it must be remembered 

that it is much easier for the records to 

be obtained now than to leaTe the Job to 

dependents, 7ears later. The p~nt of 

1II8D7cla1Jls for Govermaentinaurance, penlion. 

and cODlpen.ationhaTe been held up 

because ot delq in obtaining certificates, 

frequent17 occasioning much financial e~ 

barras8lllent to dependents. Iven when it is 

found that no state records are kept, many 

oi ties and counties haTe bureaua of vi tal 

statistics available and it al~. should 

be the rnle to vri te to the bureau of vi tal 

statistics of your city or county, when no 

state records are available. 

Muchbad information and misunderatancJ,.. 

1ng 18 extant ab011t birth and 1I&1'riage 

certificates.Jor exsmple, in order to marry, 

a lioense 1IlU8t be obta1ned--but that 

18 not 8Ufficient to support a claim, for 

the marrtase Jlight not even haTS been performed. 

!ut let's astromethat it was. !hen 

the minister or church official who performed 

the service tarnished a very beautitally 

engraved certificate that he did 

on a certain d.a.v perf orin said marriage. 

That st1ll is not sufficient. HOY8Ter,the 

minister or church official, after performing 

the cereaoDT, makes a return stfidavi t 

with the license to the burean of T1tal 

statietics which il charged with keeping 

the record. That office then makes an 1')09 

ficial record of th~ ~--1 

COPT of that 

""-,-~'" 

7"1"

Whenever a birth occurs. all physicians. 

hospitals and institutions are required to 

report the birth along with the nalReof 

the child. its sex. names of parents. etc., 

to the burean of vital statistics charged 

with maintaining the pnbl1c record. The 

birth then is a part of the pnbl1c record 

and a certified cOP7 of that record. issued 

under seal b7 the office or bureau in 

charge is the document required to support 

a claim. 

It must be recognized. however, that in 

some cases there are absolute17 no available 

pnblic records of births and marriages. 

In these cases then other proof will be 

accepted. but it will not. however. be accepted 

until or unless a certified statement 

is obtained from state or count7 officials 

verifying that no pnblic record of 

the birth or marriage is obtainBble for 

the period in which ths birth or marriage 

occurred. That being established. it then 

is permissible to p~tablish proof in other 

wqs as follows: 

PBOOFOFAGE 

1. A Certified .Q.g;gx QL A Cbnrch hoord, 

If ~ QhU4!A1. :BAl)tized!A A Clmrch. 

M~ clm.rches maintain 8lJCh records and 

the present registrar of the church will 

make a sworn statement of the record. 

2. hm Statement Qt Doctor JAg, 2U1- 

ciated. .M ~ nt1h Q! ~.Q.h1a. In many 

cases this cannot be obtained. due to death 

of the doctor or reIIlOT8l from the communi t7. 

If obtainaele. the doctor must swear to it 

before a not&ry'. 

3. ~ Statement Qi ~ Witnesses 

Present AI ~ .nu Q! .b Child' 8 ~. 

This affidavit must be made b7 individuals 

who !mewboth parents at the time of and 

before the birth, but the7 do not actual~7 

have had to be present at the birth i teelf, 

but must certif7 that the7 knew of the 

birth and of the naming of the child. etc. 

4. Notarized Certificate, hlmllllUtt a 

FamilY IDa .Q! ~~. There are ma.ny 

avenues for fraud in making certificates 

from entries in famil7 Bibles; therefore, 

such certificates mq be refUsed and other 

proof required. Or the fami17 B1ble itself 

~ have to be produced. 

5. 1leQU8.tveterans Mm1niBtration h 

Obtain lrmIl Bureau Q! CenSUI~ 1lecord .Q! 

~ lam ' 

l7 Ina l1a11lecord 2! 1DA CenSllS 

W.£ll Xu. &d.I. Att..u: titlh .Q! ~ Child. 

This method is on17 a last resort and is 

not requested b7 the Veterans' Administ~ 

tion unless the7 are convinced. that no 

proof of age can be obtained as outlined 

under the previous steps. Then the Veterans' 

Administration must be requested to 

obtain it from the Census Bureau. 

There is an unending delqin the settlement 

of claims. while awaiting proof of 

age and it is. therefore. incumbent upon 

all milit&ry' personnel who are married to 

begin immediatel7 to obtain acceptable records 

of birth of a wife and children. It 

will be noted that affidavits of parents 

to establish proof of age has not been 

listed as acceptable. 

PROOFOFMABRIAGE 

1. Certified Q..ga.Q! cMmA Record It 

Marriage hi. Performed. III A Church. See 

Proof of Age. No.1. 

2. km Statement Qt Minister ~Publ1c 

Official ~ PerfOrmed.~ Ceremony. See 

Proof of Age, No.2. 

3. ~ Statement h TwoWitnesses mm 

WerePresent At ~ PerformanceQi CeremoV. 

See Proof of Age. No.3. 

4. A Notarized Certificate Ma.h J1lllrma 

hUz Qt. ~ Marriage !A FamilY !alt.. 

DECB.ll3SOFDIVORCE 

Whenevera widow is claiming pension or 

compensation for the death of a husband. 

and it 11 shown that e:l.. ther the deceased or 

the widow or both had a previous marriage, 

then a certified cOP7 of the pnblic record 

of the divorce proceedings must be obtained 

and submitted before the right of the claimant 

can be establish.ed. 

In order to obtain copies of divorce decrees, 

a request should be addressed to 

the clerk of the court which granted the 

divorce. In a good many states, state records 

of divorces are kept. compiled from 

reports submitted b7 the count7 courts. 

Even though some states maintain records 

of divorces, the7~ not have 81JY information 

other than the namesof the principals 

and the date of dissolution of the marriage. 

For pension purposes a certified cop7 of 

the actual decree and the terms thereof is 

required; therefore, the Cop7 of the decree 

should be obtained from the court which 

granted it. 

The book, "CustOdians of Pu.blic 1lecords,. 

also lists information for each state, giving 

the proper method of addressing the 

count7 courts and 1t also suppl~es informa.- 

tion as to which states maintain state records 

of divorce. 

Inasmuch as certified copies of divorce 

decrees must be presented in support of a 

claim. the. thq should. be obtained at 

-28-

.. 

once. M~ cases are on record of court !!!n Letter. Following publication of this 

houses burning. resulting in destru.ction article, all nine are to be combined into 

of records. Get them nowwhenit is easi- a compendiumon insurance and printed for 

est. Dependents whenmaking a claim are distribution throughout the United States 

alwS\V'sbadly unnerved and it is the duty Army Air Forces. 

of all military personnel to obtain these ~ 

necessary supporting documents in advance. A year's intensive training in a.eronau- 

Certified marriage certificates are not tical engineering for six Air Corpsofficers 

required for the settlement of United States ended July 31. when they received diplomas 

Government Insurance, National Service from Brig. Gen. George C. Kenney.Comandant 

Life Insurance or policies issued by com- of the Air Corps Engineering School. Wright 

mercial life insurance companies. However, Field. 

as National Service Life Insurance is paid In the graduat;l.ngclass wereLieuts. Evart 

to the beneficiary only in installments. a W. Hedlund and Harold.M. Keeffe, from the 

certified copy of the record of birth must Fairfield Air Depot; Edward G. Kieble, Dtmbe 

submitted. Even if the beneficiary 1s can Field; ElmerE. McKessonand Bernard A. 

under the age of 30 and receives the fixed Schriever. Wright Field; and Ralph L. Wasinstallments 

of $5.51 per month on $1.000. sell, MiddletownAir Depot. 

for 20 years, a birth certificate is still 

necessary to establish that the age is un- Courses taught at the Engineering School 

del' 30. include basic theoretical instruction in 

aircraft, engine and propeller design; ftm- 

If the proceeds of either United States damental subjects such as mechanics, 

GovernmentInsurance. or policies issued strength of materials, and aerodynamics; 

by commercial life insurance companies are and practical work in the various labor&- 

to be paid as a life income to the bene- tories and shops at Wright Field in arm&- 

ficiary, then proof of age will be required ment, radio, electrical and miscellaneous 

as the amount of the income is based upon equipment. Air Corps inspection methods, 

the age of the beneficiary. depot operation, and procurement procedure 

A great deal of misunderstanding exists are additional practical subjects. . 

about photostats. Manyindividuals have .......... 

had numbers of copies of birth certifiCates The newAir Corps Basic Flying School at 

and marriage certificates photostated and Sebring, Fla., will be completed in appro%- 

it must be said that they are unacceptable. imately seven months. 

Actually the original itself in order to One of the 33 flying schools operating 

be acceptable would have to meet the re- or under constru.ction in the Southeast Air 

quirements as set out in this article. Corps Training Center, the Sebring school 

Ev~ 1£ the original is acceptable, the upon its completion will house 217 offiphotostats 

would not be. cers. 475 cadets. 1,930 enlisted men and 

15 nurses. Whenand at what stage of con- 

Photostats are acceptable, however. when struction troops will be stationed at the 

they are actually madefrom the public new field has not been announced. 

record by the bureau of vital statistics 

or other official agency in charge of the The estimated cost of the Sebring pro";,.. 

public record. It then is good only if ect is $3,627,640.00. Of this amount, conbefore 

the photostat is made, a marginal struction projects costing $2,014.879.00 

indorsement is madecertifying that it is will be undertaken immediately, and the rean 

official photostat of the public record. mainder at a later date when sufficient 

I t then must be signed under the seal of funds ere madeavailable. Like most of the 

the issuing office. other new fields in the training center. 

Very recently the Office, Chief of Air Sebring will be about four square miles in 

Corps published a pampblet titled. "Insur- area. The buildings will be of the tempoance. 

Es~ate and Wills," which is now in rary woodentype of constru.ction. 

the process of distribution throughout the In the 1a.v out will be 32 barracks for en- 

United States Army Air Forces. It was not listed men; 13 cadet barracks; one barracks 

possible in that to go into detail about for negroes; 11 ~ rooms of the Air Corps 

birth and marriage certificates and d1vorce type; 11 supply rooms; mess halls for en.- 

decrees; therefore. the material in this listed men, cadets and officers: one chapel 

article ~ be considered as a part of or (to include an organ): quarters for the 

an addition to that publicBtion. commanding officer: three administrative 

buildings: one fire station; one guardhouee: 

This article is the ninth of a series one infirmary and nurses I quarters: and one 

which has been published in the AU: ~ officers' club. 

-29-

SUPPORT ••• (Concluded) delivered to 

the Arrq by the ma.na.!acturere. 

J'lexibilit7 in the use of the air arm 

will be increased through the formation of 

the Support Commande,1"t vas explained in 

Washington when the new organizations wre 

announced. The measure assures effective 

air-ground teame, like the infant%'7-artl1- 

le17 combat team. in the ground force., 

but the field armiee and the Armoredl'oree 

do not haTe to rely entirely on their own 

particular support cOlll1lW1d.If the 8i tua.- 

tion requires it, aMi tional aviation mq 

be oalled into action. 

lIor doee the plan require aJ17 change in 

the principle that all type. of unit. of 

the Air l'orce CombatCommandD1U8tbe trained 

and oed in 8'apport of groand foreee. When 

oonditione make it necessar.Y, air support 

aTiation IIq be oed for epecial Air l'orce 

ai.sione, in conjunction with naval forcee 

or with ground forcee other than th08e to 

which they are specifically assigned for 

ooope.ratiTe action. Thus it is p08sible 

to conee1'9'8of a squadron of di Te bombere 

being directed to attack enemy destroyers 

whioh .omehowhad l118.D8ged to approach within 

ehort range of a coast line. 

Although the Support COJIIJIl&nds will be 

oonfined to no particular geographical 

bO'lU1darie., their prime function requiring 

them onl7 to operate where cooperation with 

their particular ground force makesit m08t 

efficient, they are a8signed each to a 

broadly defined area. The8e conform gene.ral1y 

to the areas in which the re8pecti ve 

field armies function. 

The lirst A1.r Support Command,for example, 

will operate in the area defined 

rQUBh1yasfrom Kaine in the Borth to South 

Carolina in the South, and we8t as far as 

Ohio. The Second has the Great Lake8 and 

Ki.eissippi Valley region, including Ohio 

and Nebraska and as far 80uth a8 Oklahoma 

and Arkan8as. The Third is in the Gulf 

Coast and Georgia area, functioning as far 

west as Texae and inc1udin« Florida. The 

l'ourth includes the West Coast area, from 

Mexico as far north a8 Canada and on the 

eut to Wyomingand Texas. These are only 

haQ' boundar1esandnot, in fact, boundarie8 

at all in the true senee of the word. 

ArtIcles for News Letter 

Bxpansion of the Arm7 Air l'oree8 from a 

. relatively Small, underequipped uni t to a 

modern, streamlined fighting organization 

finally has had i t8 effect upon the AU: 

Q.m. !Wm. Letter. As readers mq haTe 

noticed in this and the preceding i8eue, 

the !sra Letter has abandoned i t8 8malltown 

character for oneof big-time journaliBm. 

The per80nal note which 8eemedappropriate 

when the Air Corps cOJlllllW11 t7 val .restricted 

and static no 10D88r is eff.ctiTe 

in keeping informed the greatly augmented 

Air J'orces. There are just too maJ17 of 0 

now to mention80lll8nT names. Oonsequent1y, 

the lui. Letter is being transformed, to 

meet the new requirement8 for information, 

by 8triving to present professional and 

technical articles in the field of m11itar,y 

aTiation. 

As a profe8sional journal the AU: ..£o.Dla 

~ Letter will undertake (a) tostimulate 

high morale and an le8pri t de corps" in 

the.A.rm7 Air Force8, (b) to di88eminate 

information of technical and professional 

interest to personnel of the Air Forces, 

and (c) to keep the Air Force8 personnel 

advi8ed of organization Change8, policy 

revi8ion and items of current interest. 

While differing from periodicals ot general 

circulation, in that it is restricted 

to the subject of mili tal7 aviation and 

related activiU .. , the ~ Letter is like 

other j aurnals in depending upon the cooperation 

of its readers for complete success. 

lor that reason, correspondence from personnel 

in the field is welcomed. 

Especially desired are technical and 

professional articles believed valuable to 

the training program of the Air Foree •• 

l'acilities are available for the publicationof 

illustrative drawings and pictures, 

so such material should be included when 

possible. These can be sent to the Editor, 

lJ.l: ~ lui. Letter, Office of the Chief 

of the Air COrp8, Washington. 

The content. of thi8 issue mq be regarded 

broadly as a gtlide to the t)rpe of material 

desired. If a potential contribntor de- 

The Air Support CClIIIIIlands Dla7 be e%pected 

8ires addi tional information before starting 

to tunction ve%'7much as the Germanav12r 

preparation of an article, he mq vr1 te to 

tion de8cribed by Capt. 11. Xrainev, of the 

the edi tor in Washington. 

Ra..e1an Artrq, in ~s description (starting 

on Page 9 of this issue) of dive bombers 

-tj£P' 

in the Battle of Poland. A chart 8howing Arm7 vehicles at Scott l'ie1d, Ill., traveled 

a di8tance equivalent to more than 

the organisation of the Support Command8, 

their relation to ground forces and other three time. the circumference of the earth 

Air l'orces uni ts is onPage 21 of this iSBUe. during the month of June. 

-30-

~.-... 

CAQ.~LE:SS 

T/~K 

COSTS LIV€S

C friend? ) 

( foe?) < 

•

HEADQUARTERS ARMY AIR FORCES WASHINGTON, D. C. 

THE AIR FORCES NEWS LETTER 

VOL. 24 SEPTEMBER, 1941 

NO. 15 

THE COVER 

The first colors of the Regiment of Aviation Cadets, at Randolph Field, are 

presented to Aviation Cadet Robert E. Crowley, Cadet Regimental Captain, by 

Col. I. H. Edwards, commanding officer of the Texas flight center. 

CONTENTS 

MATA HARI WITH A GLASS EYE . . . . • . . • • . . • . . . . . . . . • • • • . 1 

Work of the Photo Interpretors 

ASSICNdENT TO NEWFaJNDLAND •• 

Our New Bases: First of a Series 

0VERS1UFFED AERIAL WAron.£N ••••••••••••••••••••••••. 9 

Development of the Barrage Balloon 

WARRICRS FRCN THE SKY • • • • • • • 

Parachute Troops and the Air Forces 

RElATIVE RANKS IN THE wcmJ)'S AIR FCRCES 

A Comparison Table 

THEY ncr THEMSELVES AWAY . • • • . • 

Retractable Landing Gear Development 

MANEUVERS IN THE S

Photo Interpretation 

MATA HARI WITH A GLASS EYE 

8y Lieut. Derryfield N. Smith 

'.. 

The aerial camera is causing a widespread technological 

unemployment among spies these days, for 

this one-eyed Mata Hari of the blitzkrieg era supplies 

an estimated 80 per cent of the military information 

by which modern strategy is decided. 

Of times the report of this high-flying mechanical 

spy is the sole basis for a GHQ decision on major 

tactical or strategic moves. 

Often official conmuniques conment: "Enemy planes 

flew over but no damage was done." The damage is 

coming later. That was an aerial camera attack. 

A human secret agent can direct his attention to 

only one objective at a time, while an aerial camera 

with a single wink of its eye can observe 

everything within a given number of square miles, 

and area varying with its particular equipment and 

altitude. Not only better than the human eye in 

daylight, it can also work the night shift without 

lessening its effectiveness, and can see through 

eye-baffling haze. 

Without passport, false whiskers or invisible 

ink, the aerial camera, penetrating enemy territory 

at an altitude of two and one-half miles, can make 

an instantaneous record of all that goes on over 

an area of more than six square miles, on a single 

seven by nine inch photographic plate. Blinking 

the shutter eye as rapidly as once every six seconds, 

the camera super-spy may be able to turn in 

500 or more accurate, complete, concentrated photographic 

reports from a single reconnaissance 

flight. Each report is an unposed, candid-camera 

portrait of a six square mile patch of the enemy, 

with its bony structure of hills, it~ river arteries, 

its clothing of verdure and farm crops, 

its nervous system of transmission and communications 

lines, its prominent features of factories, 

cities, mines and airports. 

But while the aerial camera sees all, it is the 

photo interpreter who must know all and tell all. 

To the untrained eye, the aerial photograph is a 

confused patchwork of the landscape's major features 

reduced smaller than the Lord's Prayer on a 

pinhead, The photo interpreter must decode the 

camera's compact report and expand it into: 1) a 

photographic map, with vital spots marked more 

clearly than with x's, and 2) a verbal report, 

commenting on any unusual activity shown, and con. 

jecturing on its possible military significance. 

Working behind the scenes of this modern war of 

multiple fronts and shifting objectives, the interpreter 

knows it may be less important to blow up a 

steel and concrete pillbox fort than to destroy 

the plants supplying the steel and the concrete. 

By comparing photographs taken at intervals of 

24 hours or several days, he can deduce that damaged 

armaments plants are in production again, or 

that railroad cars are being assembled to move 

supplies to ~he front, After sending the flying 

camera on a quick reconnaissance tour of railroad 

yards in certain key areas, he can discover that 

munitions and supplies are being moved toward the 

enemy's western frontier. On successive photographs 

of a compact area he can also spot where 

new batteries are being set up, oil depots established 

or tanks assembled. 

By piecing together over lapping aer ial photographs 

in a stereogram, he obtains a three-dimensional 

view, and can tell whether a certain dark line is 

a hedge, a path or a ravine. If it proves to be a 

ravine, he can tell how deep it is. 

The precision which work on aerial photographs 

can achieve is exemplified by a computation based 

on the ..highes t" photograph ever made, the vert ical 

photo made by Lieut. Col. A. W. Stevens at an altitude 

of 13.1 miles above the earth from the 

stratosphere balloon of the United States Army- 

National Geographic Stratosphere Expedition in 

1935. Capt, B. B. Talley of the United States Engineers 

computed that the photograph was taken at 

an altitude of 72,290 feet, only 0.11 per cent 

less than official barograph readings. 

The use of the lens as a secret agent, if not a 

secret weapon, has forced belligerents to develop 

camouflage to new heights of concealment and deception. 

What the aerial photo records as a hillside 

may be a hidden hangar. That innocent country 

crossroads may be merely whitewashed lines 

across the surface of a disguised airport. So the 

first duty of a photo interpreter is to suspect, 

as a counter-camouflage precaution. Even color 

photography has been enlisted to bring before his 

careful scrutiny, for instance, the slight difference 

in color between living foliage and wilted 

branches cut for camouflage. 

The natural protection of darkness and blackout 

strategy h~~ ~~e it almost axiomatic for military 

leaders to make their important secret moves at 

night. ,ThB.{l!ts'\,to, the experiments of the Materiel 

Division, great strides have been made in the field 

of night photography. It is now possible to penetrate 

the darkness with specially controlled flash

THE ~lR FORCE8 NF.i1'8. LETTER 

bombs and cameras, thus surprising the enemy redhanded 

in his most secret activities, 

Without the all-seeing hawk eyes of the aerial 

reconnaissance units, the British would not have 

been able to smash every German concentration 

along the invasion front. The much vaunted coordination-of 

the German armed forces would be impoesible 

without proper exploitation of aerial intelligence. 

The role of aerial photography has 

played a very large part in the success of blitakrieg 

tactics thus far. 

Actual war operations show a natural division on 

this whole function of aerial photographic intelligence. 

All the activity involving the operation 

of photo planes, aerial cameras, processing of 

films and preparation of flight diagrams falls 

within the scope of the photogrephic reconnabsance 

tacti-:a1 units of the Combat Conmand. 

The other function of exploiting and developinl 

the intelligence from the aerial photos falls 

within the sphere of photo interpretation units, 

placed so as to best serve the command echelons 

throughout the Air Forces. Initi~l steps have already 

been taken to establish a Photo Interpretation 

Unit in the Intelligence Division of the Of. 

fice. Chief of Air Corps, in Washington, and 

throughout the Combat Conmand. 

Interpretation has been described as the sci~nce 

of determining the nature of various objects shown 

on photographs. and the discovery of hid~en objects 

which are either visible or known to exist. 

It is the practical application of the trained 

powers 01 deductive reasoning, with the aid of 

technical instruments, previous photographs and 

supplementary maps and information already collected 

about the territory being studied in the 

photograph. 

By putting together in time and space the total 

results of aerial reconnaissance. the photo interpreter 

converts hindsight into foresight, and puts 

the secrets hidden in the picture into a form of 

information that can be rapidly used in preparation 

for future action. 

The functions of a Photo Interpretation Uni tare: 

1) To receive, record and collate all aerial 

photographs from all sources. 

2) To develop by interpretation the maximum accurate 

intelligence from aerial photos in the 

mini._ time. 

3) To prepare, arrange and reproduce this intelligence 

into the most concise and usable form. 

4) To maintain a complete, current photolibrary 

and filing system wrth an adequate supply of all 

necessary technical instruments and aids to the 

task of interpretation. 

S) To assist in the training of personnel in 

all phases of photo interpretation. 

6) To conduct research to test and improve 

methods of interpretation. 

2 

Theoretically, the operation of • photo interpretation 

unit is illustrated in ~ accompanyinl 

animated chart. 

-Shots" of tactical or stratelic activity of the 

ene~, as depicted at point A, are transmitted to 

a mobile or stationary photolraphic laboratory (at 

point B), where the film is quickly processed. The 

interpretation officer (C), who has been studyinl 

all previous photos and other available intellilence, 

is prepared to analyze speedily the new 

photos and report any activity which affec.s "the 

day-to-day conduct of the war." His quick" firstphase" 

interpretation is immediately transmitted 

to all tactical units affected. The value of this 

operation depends on speed and accuracy, which are 

both of the utmost importance. 

The films, prints and copies of the first-phase 

report are quickly forwarded to the Photo Interpretation 

Unit (point D). Copies of the prints go 

to points E and F for simultaneous processinl. The 

"seoond-pbsse" interpretation, administered at E, 

involves the plotting of the photos on large index 

or situation maps. The first-phase report is here 

verified and greatly amplified, .fter which it is 

forwarded to the HQ of tactical units at G. 

The final • third-phase" interpretation is a 

specialized strategic analysis. Officers and civilian 

specialists in various spheres go over each 

photo minutely to extract every Irain of intelligenceaffecting 

their respective fields--for example, 

the Army. Navy, Air Forces or industrial 

fields. 

Ar~ specialists, for example, would offer their 

interpretation in the light of their knowledge of 

ground force tactics. army installations, equipment. 

anmunition dumps and barracks. Industrial 

specialists would be well versed -in the appearance 

and importance of oil refineries, power stations, 

munitions industries, railroad center, all types 

of manufacturing, docks and shipping. 

The results of their analyses are Iraphically 

illustrated and arranged into a final interpre~a" 

tion report by a staff of photogrammetric draftsmen 

and clerical assistants, comprising officers, 

enlisted men and civilians. These final interpretation 

reports provide valuable source material 

in the preparation of air estimate, objective and 

target folders (point H). They also play an essential 

role in the functions of the War Room and 

are given a limited distribution to the higher 

echelons of command. 

The Army's first course in photo interpretation 

given in recent years was concluded July' 22, 1941, 

at the Engineer's School, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. 

Seventy-five officers, including two from the 

Marine Corps, successfully completed the course 

and many are now taking steps to train personnel 

for photo interpretation unit •• t th.ir variou. 

.tations.

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THE AIR FORCES NEIl'S LETTER 

A second course in photo interpretation will 

start at Fort Belvoir about September 8. The class 

for the most part will consist of officers from 

the Air Force Combat Command and other Air Forces 

stations. The second course will be adapted to 

the particular problems of the Air Forces. 

• Plans are also being formulated for an Air Corps 

Intelligence School, to function by the first of 

the year, where the interpretation of aerial photographs 

will form a major part of the training. This 

projected school will undertake to supply the entire 

Army Air Forces with trained personnel for 

expansion of photo interpretation units to keep 

pace with the Army's rapidly accelerating photographic 

reconnaissance activities. The Air Forces 

confidently speak of marshalling a battery of 

30,000 cameras specially designed for aerial intelligence 

duty. 

PROPELLER VIBRATION TESTS 

Every new propeller-engine combInation must be 

tested for vibration. Other propeller tests are 

made, of course, but vibratory tests become more 

important as engine powers increase. With the development 

of an experimental engine, it is necessary 

to produce a propeller designed to absorb the 

full power of the new engine. A vibration- test is 

made to determine whether the new combination of 

propeller and engine will work together without 

producing vibration stresses in the propeller that 

will cause failure of the propeller blades. 

The propeller vibration tests conducted by the 

Air Corps are largely confined to new propeller 

types which are being tested for use in advance 

types of engines. The tests are conducted by suspending 

the propeller in an elastic sling and vibrating 

it under static conditions, to determine 

its natural vibration characteristics. The Materiel 

Division has propeller test rigs on which electric 

motors are used to whirl test new propellers. It 

also has engine test stands on which the experimental 

engine~propeller combination is mounted and 

tested. Complete vibration data call for a flight 

test of the new combination in the airplane. These 

tests consist of stress measurements of propeller 

blades under different conditions of flight. 

In a flight test all sources of vibration peculiar 

to the particular installation are present, and 

the airplane can be tested in all the maneuvers 

whicn its military mission demands. The forces 

which excite vibration in the propeller are those 

caused by the engine and by air gusts and interference,of 

air flow due to the blade passing near 

or in the wake of obstacles such as landing gears, 

fuselage, etC. 

In a single-place pursuit, an engineer-observer 

cannot accompany the pilot, SO the equipment used 

4 

must function automatically. It consists of • 

number of resistance piCk-ups, batteries, amplifier. 

osCIllograph and collector rings. 

Batteries, amplifier and oscillograph are stowed 

in the baggage compartment. A stationary brush 

plate is mounted behind the propeller hub; the revolving 

spin plate is mounted on the propeller hub 

so that it revolves with the propeller in contact 

with the brushes of the stationary plate. 

The resistance pick-Ups are carbon strips 7/8 of 

an inch or more in length. These are cemented on 

the prope UfO p b lades a t the points where the stress 

is to be determined, usually along the center lines 

where ~tress is greatest. The fact of interest is 

that the linear dimension of a pick-up varies with 

vibratory stresses in the propeller and the resistance 

of the pick-up varies with changes in its 

linear dimension. 

The equipment is then hooked up so that electrical 

circuits are established from the batteries, 

through the oscillograph and amplifier out through 

the spin plate to the resistance pick-ups. A 

switch near the pilot's left hand permits him to 

switch the equipment on and off as desired. An 

automatic counter at the switch indicates how much 

\Ilused film remains in the oscillograph at any time 

during the flight. 

When the pilot flips the switch, the electrical 

current passes through the pick-Ups to the amplifier. 

Vibration of the propeller causes fluctuation 

of electric current through the amplifier. 

The impulses are recorded on the film in the osc illograph. 

Normal slight vibration would be recorded in a 

regular shallow wavy line. If abnormal vibration 

develops; the line becomes a jagged series of 

peaks which increase in size as the vibration increases. 

B¥ measuring the lines on the developed film, 

engineers can determine the seriousness of the vibration. 

With experience they can often locate 

the source of vibration from the frequency and 

characteristics of the vibration lines on the film. 

The story is told of serious propeller vibrat10n 

developing in an engine-prope ller combination which 

had been tested, approved and put into standard 

service. Using the method just described, flight 

tests were made for the purpose of investigating 

the trouble. 

From the pattern of the vibration lines on the 

film, engineers were able to determine that the 

destructive vibration originated somewhere in the 

engine. The engine was torn down and it was discovered 

that the original gears had been replaced. 

The new gears had passed the engine tests satisfactorily, 

but varied from the original gears 

enough to cause a destructive propeller vibration 

during flight. When all of the questionable gears 

had been replaced, the trouble disappeared.

Our New Bases 

AsslgDlDent to Newfoundland 

By Lieut. John' e, A. Watkins 

Newfoundland is a grim, rugged island and duty 

with one of the Air Force Comeat Command units 

stationed at such places as the Newfoundland Air 

Base--on the great transatlantic Newfoundland Airport 

in the interior of the island--is certain to 

entail some hardships. 

On the other.hand, service there will be unlike 

duty almost anywhere else within the scope of 

American operations, with some attractions and 

considerable interest. The hunting and fishing is 

excellent, for salmon and such big game as caribou 

and polar bears. Some of the most famous people 

in the world p~ss through the Newfoundland Air 

Base, ~ their way to England by air or coming to 

this country over the same route, and the officers 

stationed at the base come in close contact with 

them. 

The Newfoundland Air Base is about 250 miles 

northwest of St. Johns, capital and largest city 

of Newfoundland. On the shores of long, deep 

Gander Lake, which never freezes, the Newfoundland 

Airport has been widely publicized not only for its 

isolation and almost complete inaccessibility by 

every means of transportation but air, but also 

for its astonishingly huge macadam runways. 

The atmosphere of the base is grim, probably 

more so than at any other military air field on 

which American troops are stationed. One side of 

the great runways, where Canadian troops live and 

work, very definitely is at war. The other side 

is occupied by the American forces; each force has 

its own installations and manages its own affairs, 

although there is cooperation between the two. 

All the buildings, from barracks to hangars, are 

provided by the Canadian Government and are erected 

under that Government's supervis ion. Consequentl~ 

the structures housing American troops are 

identical with those housing the Royal Canadian 

Air Force and Canadian army units on the field, 

and are of standard Canadian, rather than United 

States Army, construction and design. The barracks 

are well-built and attractive on the outside, more 

so than our own, Most of them are one story, with 

shingled outside walls. Naturally they are more 

carefully protected against the weather than buildings 

in warmer climates. 

Inside, ,the barracks for enlisted men are about 

the same as any standard sleeping quarters for 

troops. So are those for officers, the general 

rule being that two officers share one small room. 

5 

These rooms have hardwood floors, but no closets. 

A small shelf is provided on either side of the 

door, but any additional storage space that is required 

is built by the officers themselves from 

old packing cases. A few straight-backed chairs 

and tables are available, but the transportation 

problem is difficult and there is certain always 

to be a lack of furniture. Unmarried officers pay 

their rental allowance for their quarters; married 

ones do not. 

Hangars and living quarters for the American and 

Canadian forces are being augmented by a large 

force of native Newfoundlanders, who live and eat 

in barracks provided for the labor gangs. These 

men are paid good wages and are allowed to work as 

long as they want. Many, apparently wishing to 

make enough money to last them through the next 

few long Newfoundland winters, are working almost 

around the clock. Trucks rumble by the harracks 

all night long, and frequently a lone Newfoundlander 

may be seen digging away in a ditch all by 

himself at four or five o'clock in the morning. 

Visitors to the Newfoundland Air Base get an impression 

of isolation more complete than on a 

South Pacific island. The entire country is covered 

by thousands of ponds and lakes, interspersed 

with miles of a thick, tangled and virtually impenetrable 

mass of scrub spruce, birch and underbrush. 

Almost all of the island is a morass, and 

everywhere the sunlight glints on water beneath 

the thick green mat of vegetation as your airplane 

flies overhead. It seems that it would be almost 

impossible to walk anywhere, except along the coasts 

or in the rocky hi ghlands, and if a pilot encounters 

engine trouble, he would do well to land ~eels up 

along the shore line of a lake sufficiently big to 

permit a rescuing amphibian to land and take off 

again. 

Practically the entire population, limited enough 

as it is, is concentrated along the coasts, and 

there are few cOlllllUni ties of more than two .or three 

houses in the interior. A Royal Air Force officer 

and the writer rode in the bombardier's position 

in the nose of a B-18 clear across the island, to 

the west coa~t, with the agreement that the first 

to sight a house, a man or a boat would be paid $1 

by the other. In nearly two hours of flying, at 

only a few thousand feet in perfectly fine weather, 

neither of us even imagined that we had sighted 

anything resembling a house, a man or a boat.

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THE AIR FORCESNE",S LETTER 

The Newfoundland Air Base is set down right in 

the middle of such country. The nearest town is 

Grand Falls, a little community of about 6,000 

people, about 65 miles away. It can be reached 

only by amphibian or on the narrow-gauge Newfoundland 

Railroad, on which a train goes from the base 

to the town one day and returns the next, taking 

approximately three and one-half hours for ,the oneway 

journey. There are no roads of Rny sort, except 

on the airport itself. All the trucks and 

other motor vehicles had to be brought in by train 

and will have to be taken out again in the same 

manner. A five-minute walk in any direct ion brings 

the f1ikerup aga Inst a wall of vegetation or swaznpy 

ground. There are two roads leading down to Gander 

Lake, about a mile and a half away, and several 

other roads which wander out into the bush a mile 

or so and then come to an abrupt halt. Consequently, 

private automobiles are completely useless 

even if the limited railroad facilities could be 

used to bring them to the base. 

The climate isn't particular ly pleasant, al though 

there are some beautifully clear days and nights 

to compensate for some of the unpleasant weather. 

It rains and blows a lot in the summer, and the 

snowfall is heavy in the winter. An average of 15 

feet of snow during a winter is not uncommon, and 

the natives say that there are five or six feet of 

snow on the ground all the time during the cold 

months, with drifts ranging from 15 to 20 feet deep, 

The winter season ranges roughly from November 1 

to May I, although frequently there is snow both 

before and after those dates. 

The temperature ranges from as high as 85 degree 

s (F) during the shor t Stmne I' to as low as 30 

degrees below 0 during the long winter. In the 

sunmer some nights are stuffy and muggy, but during 

most of what we call the summer months it is distinctly 

chilly and damp, especially at night, if 

not downright cold. Fogs are frequent, caused by 

the meeting of the Arctic Current and the Gulf 

Stream a short distance off the Newfoundland Coast. 

During August, when the writer was there, the 

weather was cold and rather rainy--cold enough for 

woolen shirts and leather jackets during the day, 

blouses and trench coats at night. 

Lnc j den t a Ll y , there is a maximum of about 19 

hours of daylight daily during the height of the 

summer (June) and of about 18 hours of darkness in 

late December and January. When we were there, 

there were about 16 or 17 hours of daylight. The 

last motion picture show went on at 9 P,M. Newfoundland 

time (11:30P.M, Greenwich Mean Time, on 

which the air base operates) and darkness did not 

come for at least half an hour after that time. 

Officers assigned to the base should take with 

them plenty of winter clothing. The winter uniform 

is specified, in fact, and cotton clothing is 

not authorized. Trench ,coats are a necessity, be- 

6 

cause of the heavy rainfall, and both overshoes 

and mackinaws are needed. Leather or flying jacke ts 

are worn until supper calion weekdays and before 

noon on Sundays, after which time all officers are 

required to wear blouses. 

Most of the officers work in Gl slacks, which 

they purchase from the well-equipped Quartermaster 

stores, saving their more fragile and easily soiled 

pinks for special occasions. Similarly they wear 

heavy GI shoes, since there are no sidewalks to 

speak of and the soil (a curious conbination of 

roots, rocks, shale and earth) wreAks havoc with 

..'city" footgear. Civilian clothing isn't of much 

use, and is not authorized at all on the base. It 

is likely to take up more precious storage space 

in quarters than it is worth. 

Laundry facilities at present are extremely limited 

and poor, although a Government laundry undoubtedly 

will be provided as quickly as pnssible, 

and enough shirts, underwear and the like should 

be taken along to last two or t hree weeks wi ;;,out 

replacement. The nearest "modern" laundry is at 

Grand Falls, and the prices are about t h ree times 

what they are in the States. Theoretically, the 

laundry goes to Grand Falls one week and comes 

back the next; actually it takes about three weeks. 

Since it costs 30~ to get a Gl shirt washed, 

most of the enlisted men and some of the officers 

do their own. Mos t of the off icers wash their own 

underwear, handkerchiefs and socks and the shower 

rooms in the officers' quarters usually are cluttered 

at night with lines filled with drying garments. 

Dry cleaning is expensive and unsatisfactory. 

An enlisted man has set up a drycleaning 

and tailoring establishment in the Post Exchange, 

charging 1St to clean a shirt and 25~ for a Llous e , 

but his services are somewhat amateurish and not 

recommended for expensive uniforms. Some officers 

bring their uniforms to the States, when they come 

dawnoncross-country flights, and get them cleaned 

during their stay. 

Recreational facilities are somewhat limited at 

the present time. The Army Motion Picture Service 

presents movies every night in a tent theater, 

and the choice of pictures is usually good, but 

there are more customers--including canadian officers 

and enlisted men and civilian supervisors on 

the construction projects--than there is space for 

them. There is a small but excellent library, of 

about 150 volumes, obviously chosen by someone of 

very good taste. 

The enlisted men have a recreation room, which 

had not been turnished completely when the writer 

was there, in which there were ping pong tables 

and dart boards. Adjoining the recreation room 

waS the PX-operated canteen' The PX officer ~ncourages 

the purchase of canned orange, ta~ato and 

grapefruit juice, chocolate bars and other such 

food and drink that goes over on the luxury side

THE JIR 

FORCES NEWS LETTER 

.. 

of the ledeer when the outskirts of civilization 

are reached. 11le' relular American lq-ands of ciearettes 

aell for 75~ per carton in the Post Exchanle, 

althouah the Canadiana and Newfoundlanders pay 38~ 

per pack for them in the only civilian store at 

the base. 

At the present time the Of ficers' Club occupies 

a small room, aame size as the bedrooms, in the 

officers' quarters, and is eqyipped only with an 

old radio-phonograph, a table and some straight 

chairs. .lfcmever,a large combination mess and club 

was heine completed and should be ready for occupancy 

this (September) month. It will have a 

lounee, reading and writine rooms and recreation 

rooms. 

Fishing in the vicinity of the base is excellent, 

althoueh some of the best streams and lakes are 

somewhat difficult to reach except by amphibian. 

Salmon are plentiful on the Gander River, and one 

fishine party came back recently with more than 

they could use, claiming that the lame fish had to 

be foulht off with clubs •. Trout fishing also is 

eood, but Gander Lake itself, c~~iously enough. 

seems to have no fish at all. The lake is very 

deep, soundings having been made to a depth of 

6,000 feet without striking bottom, and this may 

be the reason. 

The hunting laws inNewfoundlaoo are very strict, 

but the hunting is said to be excellent. On the 

Northern Peninsula there are polar bears during 

the winter months, and caribou, moose, eeese and 

black bears are plentiful. The nature of the terrain 

is such that hunting might be difficult before 

freezing weather sets in, but with snow on 

the ground the problem should not be serious. It 

is SUIKested that officers desiring to hunt bring 

alonl a rifle in the .303 or 30-30 class, or any 

other weapon suitable for bie aame, and at least a 

20-gauee shotgun for skeet shoot ina. 

Ski ina and snowshoeine should be eood in the 

winter, althoueh the snow is said to be a little 

too d8lllpfor the very best skiing, and the Quartermaster 

atores are provided with hundreds of pairs 

of skis and snowshoes, which may be purchased. A 

very eood arctic type Alaskan boot is available 

through the Quartermaster, as are heavy fur-lined 

costs and other cold weather clothina. 

Swimming is out of the question, since the water 

is very cold, for all but the most rabid. Doatine 

is possible on Gander Lake, which is a pretty big 

body of water, but it would be difficult eettine a 

fair-sized boat to the base from the outside. There 

will be no aolf. and conditions don't seem perticularly 

suitable for tennis, but there will be baseball, 

volley ball and other such sports, soon we 

hope. 

Radio reception is rather poor. Officers as- 

'iened to the base should brine a first-cIa .. shortwave 

set. or none at all, because the conventional 

7 

lona-wave instrument just won't do a eood job. 

Portable phonographs are useful to those ~ho like 

music. 

Wives are out of the question. As far as the 

United States Army i. concerned, the Newfoundland 

Air Base is strictly stag. In fact. there are 

only about eight women on the whole base--several 

wives of Canadian civil and military officials and 

a few nurses in the Canadian hoapital. This hospi. 

tal, incidentally, is used by the American troops 

am is said to be well-run and equipped. 

Every week an officer takes 25 enlisted men to 

Camp Alexander, at St. Johns, where the men spend 

the week having a good time in the Newfoundland 

capital. There are soda fountains, which are very 

popular. and dancing and swimming. The enlisted 

men also can get dates in the town, since, apparently 

like all the larger communities, there are 

plenty of single girls. 

On the Professional side, the officer assigned 

to the Newfoundland Air Base will find his work 

similar to ordinary squadron duties anywhere, except 

that he is functioning utder conditions closer 

to real war conditions than ordinarily, and may 

find his work more interesting for that reason. 

He will find many problems arising which mieht 

never arise on a field in the States, but that. 

too, probably will help make.the time pass more 

quickly. Organizations will probably continue to 

be replaced at relatively short intervals. 

His rudder control becoming jammed as the result 

of striking an unmarked high tension wire, causing 

the plane to persist in circling to the left, Lieut. 

Timothy A. Shea, 154th Observation Squadron, Post 

Field, Fort Sill, Okla., climbed for altitude, 

ordered his two pessengers. to "bailout, "and then 

maneuvered his plane in ever widening circles unt i1 

he managed to make a safe landing. 

Lieut. Shea was making a test flight of his 0-47 

airplane in the twilight, his passengers beine 

Lieut. Francis Holt and Staff Sgt. Eulon H. Weeks, 

.of his organization. Flying in a low attack formation 

about 150 feet from the ground, his radio 

antenna was snapped off and the rudder was nearly 

torn off after striking the tension wire which was 

strune across an artificial lake. The jammed rudder 

caused the plane tostart circling to the left. 

After his pessengers deserted the ship under orders, 

Lieut. Shea proceeded to figure out just how 

he was going to get down and out of his aerial 

merry-go-round. His rudder control useless, he 

began maneuvering his circles until they grew lareer 

and larger like ripples in a pond. "Finally, he 

included the Btawnwood, Texas. airport in one of 

the circles and made a safe landine. Aside from 

the ripped tail assembly, there was hIt minor damage 

to the plane.

Experimental barrage balloon at Wright Field twelve years ago.

OVERSTUFFEDAERIAL WATCHMEN 

Barrage Balloons Stand Guard 

Just as the role played by the barrage balloon 

in the great aerial Battle of Britain has largely 

been submerged by the more spectacular phases of 

the conflict, sothe story of this country's preparations 

to give its cities, factories and defense 

installations balloon protection has remained to a 

large degree untold. 

Barrage balloons don't make power dives at 600 

miles per hour; they don't lay two-ton "eggs"deep 

in hostile territory, and they don't pack the firing 

power a pursuit ship needs to stop enemy bombers. 

But they do perform a vital, if unspectacular, 

job in keeping constant vigil against the 

aerial blitzkrIeg tactics so much a part of modern 

warfare. 

Proven valuable inactual combat in Great Britain, 

the balloon is not being neglected by this country 

as a vital feature of national defense. For many 

years the Air Corps has been experimenting with 

barrage balloons and recently has put certain types 

into production. 

Up until May of this year barrage balloons were 

ccrnpletely under the jurisdiction of the Air Corps, 

but at that time the job of operating them was 

turned over to the Coast Artillery Corps, which 

has organized the 301st Barrage Battalion to take 

care of the new function. As more men are trained 

and more equipment is procured, additional battalions 

will be organized. 

The job of developing barrage balloons still is 

in the hands of the Air Corps, which maintains a 

Barrage Balloon Section (Materiel Division) and 

also the Third Barrage Balloon Squadron. Lieut. 

Col. Clarence B. Lober heads the section. 

Balloon barrages are perhaps most effective when 

used in conjunction with anti-aircraft and defending 

pursuit and interceptor aviation. When used 

to supplement pursuit aircraft they serve to reduce 

the amount of airspace over vital objectives 

which need tobe defended, and when used with antiaircraft 

they tend to keep the enemy up in the 

strata where gunfire is most effective. In turn, 

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anti-aircraft and fighter activity affords valuable 

protection for the more or less vulnerable 

balloons. 

At first glance many have contended that the 

London barrage balloon defense has failed because 

of the great damage which has been done the city 

through aerial bombardment. Closet scrutiny, however, 

shows that although tons of bombs have been 

dropped on London and its environs, some of the 

most vital defense installations of the area have 

SO far come through unscathed. Some of these include 

such vital objectives as bridges, sources of 

power supply and harbors. Just how these have 

been defended is naturally not revealed, but it is 

the opinion of most military observers that the 

balloon has played a very important part. 

and one-half ton trucks equipped with winches to 

raise and lower the inflated bags, and the latter 

being anchored in some stationary manner while in 

use. A further classification divides balloons 

into high-altitude and low-altitude categories, 

the former be ing II> cons tructed that they automa tIcally 

adjust themselves to the rarified atmosphere 

and low pressure of high altitudes. 

Most modern training balloons are 35 feet in 

diameter and 87 feet in length, and are made of 

cotton fabric, impregnated with synthetic rubber 

This material has proved more satisfactory than 

natural rubber in holding lighter-than-air gases. 

Under existing methods of ma~ufacture the outer 

fabric is generally manufactured in strips which 

are cemented together by a hand process of assembly. 

As to the future, Maj. Gen. A.J. Green, Chief of 

the Coast Artillery Corps, has stated that a ve~f 

considerable number of barrage balloon battalions 

can be organized from funds appropriated by Congress 

for this purpose. Furthermore, he has said that 

the necessary number of balloons will be ready as 

soon as troops can be trained in their use. In 

this connection there is being erected a great new 

balloon training center near Paris, Tennessee, which 

when completed will cover 1,000 acres and will have 

facilities for 7,000 men. Meanwhile training is 

being carried on at the Camp Davis training site 

in "iorthCarolina, where more than 160 officers and 

750 men, under the command of Col. Robert Arthur, 

Coast Artillery, are being prepared to staff the 

Army's barrage balloon battalions. These students, 

who were selected from the approximately 2.200 

soldiers who have been conducting barrage balloon 

tests at Camp Davis for the past several months, 

are receiving instruction in six- and 12 week 

courses. Those who complete the courses successfully 

will be used to train additional personnel 

and to assist in the formation of new units. 

Included in the current training program is a 

close study of the use and effectiveness of the 

balloons in Great Britain, possible new ways in 

which theYllBYbe utilized to advantage, and methods 

of coordinating balloon barrages with anti-aircraft 

and fighter,plane defenses. All in all, the cooperative 

activities of the Air Corps and the Coast 

Artillery Corps seem to indicate that this country, 

will not be lacking in barrage balloon protec non 

if and when it is ever needed. 

In general there are two types of barrage balloons 

being produced currently. ()leis a ballonet, 

containing an air chamber which automatically adjusts 

pressure on the inside of the balloon to that 

of the outside air pressure at different altitudes. 

The other is known as the dilatable type. It is 

equipped with rubber shock absorber cords which 

permit the balloon to expand or contract as the 

outside pressure is changed. 

Barrage balloons are also classified into mobile 

and fixed types, the former being operated from two 

10 

Although balloons are proving their value daily 

in Europe, the quiet nature of the role they play, 

and the relative scarcity of information concern. 

ing them has resulted in a popular lack of understanding 

of their function. Actually, reports 

from the war zone and experiments carried on in 

this country both reveal that balloon barrages are 

extremely valuable in the protection of small but 

vitally important targets such as factories, railway 

terminals and bridges, particul~rly when coordinated 

with the use of pursuit planes and antiaircraft 

defenses. In the case of the United 

States it is the best opinion that balloons could 

be used to advantage in the defense of such vital 

and closely-cropped defense installations as the 

Panama Canal, Sault Saint Marie locks nnd fleet 

anchora ges. 

It is true that comparatively few airplanes are 

actually brought down by barrage balloons, although 

this has occurred when invading pilots have driven 

unsuspect i.ngIy into the heavy cables used to anchor 

the bags to the ground. The chief measure of the 

effectiveness of the balloon, however, is not in 

the number of enemy planes brought down, but ra ther 

the protection afforded vital ground installations 

through the keeping of invading aircraft at altitudes 

from which bombing cannot approach maximum 

accuracy. Particularly handicapped by the presence 

of balloons are dive boobe rs , ground strafers and 

other aircraft which rely upon low-flying tactics 

for effectiveness. 

Two new types of military weapons have been developed 

and offered to the Army by enlisted men 

during recent weeks. The men are Robert Reid 

Stubbs, MacDill Field, Fla., who has developed a 

new bomb dispersal device, and Horace W. Dawson, 

Fort Lewis, Wash., inventor of a new type antiaircraft 

shell. Both Dawson, of the Tenth Field Artillery, 

and Stubbs, of the Forty-fourth Bombardment 

Group, have waived royalty considerations. They 

were commended for their patriotism. 

..

Warriors 

By Oliver Townsend 

from the Sky 

;. 

"Look out below!" is a cry that is heard many 

times these days at Fort Benning, where the Army's 

Provisional Parachute Group is now in training. 

At present the Parachute Group consists of the 

Five Hundred and First and Five Hundred and Second 

Parachute Battalions, and the Five Hundred and 

Third, which has just been organized. One more, 

the Five Hundred and Fourth, is scheduled to be 

formed November 1. When complete, the four battalions 

will be manned by approximately 1,500 officers 

and men. 

Although actually a part of the Infantry, parachute 

troop training is pertinent to the Air 

Forces, for airplanes must be used to transport 

paratroopers to the scene of their operations, and 

must protect them from enemy air power. Cargo 

planes being used for training purposes at the 

Benning training center are being supplied by the 

Fiftieth Transport Wing, under the conmand of Lieut. 

Col. Fred S. Borum. 

Officers and men of the parachute battalions are 

rated as "Parachutists," and include volunteers 

from all branches of the Regular Army, National 

Guard and Officers' Reserve Corps. Parachutist 

officers are entitled to flying pay (temporary 

status), and the men as often as possible are being 

given Specialist First Class ratings. 

Qualification requirements for parachutists are 

stiff. Not only must applicants pass a rigid 

physical examination, but they must also have a 

working knowledge of map reading, radio opera tions, 

sketching and the handling of explosives and demolitions. 

They must be unmarried, between 66 ~nd 

74 inches in height, must demonstrate outstanding 

personal initiative and must be between the ages 

of 21 and 32. Majors cannot be over 40 years old, 

captains and lieutenants not over 35. 

In addition to the other requirements, enlisted 

applicants for transfer to the parachute battalions 

must have had at least six months service in the 

Regular Army, and at least one year of their enlistment 

fo go. Regular ArmY officers must have 

had one year with troops, and reserves at least 

six months. In spite of the rigid requirements 

more than twice the number of men necessary to fill 

the four parachute battalions have already volunteered. 

JUs t added to the Five Hundred 

and Fi rst and Five 

Hundred and Second Battalions have been two officcers 

and 15 Medical Department enlisted men, chosen 

from an overflow list of volunteers on the basis 

of high standards of physical ability and profes- 

11 

sional attainments. This medical force, all of 

whom will be qualified parachutists, will accompany 

the regular parachute troops when they jump from 

airplanes, and will set up aid stations in the 

combat area to handle casualties until evacuated 

to hospitals. 

Special medical equipment, which can be dropped 

without damage by parachute in standard air-delivery 

containers, wi 11 be used by the new medica 1 detachment. 

It will include bandages, dressings, medicines, 

splints, blankets, surgical instruments, 

litters, sterilizers and other items necessary for 

the proper care of casualties in the field. Additional 

medical troops for the newly organized Five 

Hundred and Third Battalion are being selected at 

the present time. 

One of the surest signs that the parachutist has 

become a definite part of the United States Army is 

the fac.tthat he has been given his own spec ia 1 insignia. 

'~is is worn above the left breast pocket 

of the jacket or shirt, and consists of a replica 

of an open parachute placed between a set of silver 

wings which curve upward. 

Parachute troop training is now being carried on 

under ~he direction of Lieut. Col. W.C. Lee, Inf., 

on a 900-acre tract of land adjoining Lawson Field 

at Ft. Benning. At present there are two buildings 

on the field, one for indoor training, and one for 

maintenance. Part of the indoor training program 

consists of making short jumps with the aid of 

suspension harness, designed to teach novices how 

to land properly in order to avoid shock. Since ') 

the paratrooper in actual combat drops at the rate 

of from 16 to 23 feet per second, depending upon 

the weight of his equipment, it is important that 

a proper understanding of the landing technique be 

gained at the very outset of his training. 

In the Fort Benning maintenance building parachutesaredried, 

cleaned, mended and packed. Each 

man must pack his own parachute, and, since his 

life depends upon it, this is one of the most important 

parts of his early training. Parachutes 

are packed on the usual long, specially-constructed 

tables. An unusually painstaking task, it usually 

takes from four to five hours to complete. 

The paratroop training program, which lasts six -~\ 

'weeks, is divided into two parts--preliminary and t 

advanced. Preliminary training, in addition to 

instruction in fundamentals, consists of several 

jumps from a 125-foot tower, and as many individual 

novice jumps from airplanes as are necessary. In 

the advanced training stage at least two mass p1a-

THE AIR FORCES NEII'8 LETTER 

I 

toon jUIIIPSare included, usually from a considerably 

lower altitude than the D09ice jumps, Novice 

jumpe are .. de fro. hilher altitudes because of 

the safety factor involved, 

"ratrooper equipment is surprisingly complete. 

r Depending upon the circUIIIstances, it may include 

\( rifles, light and heavy machine guns, 50 caliber 

antitank and antiaircraft machine IUDS, 37 _. cannon, 

hand grenades, pistols, infantry mortars, 

sub-machine guns and demolition equipment. As D1Ch 

al'mBlllent as ponible is dropped with each individual 

.oldier, there_inder being lowered separately. 

.If the occa.ion demands, it has even been demon- 

.trated as practicable to transport and lower 75 

_. howi hers. The Germans have even been known 

to drop collapsible bicycles, small boab. and 

knives with their parachute troope. 

In addition to armament, parachutists mu.t carry 

their own means of comnunication, as _11 as their 

own ration. and supplies. Ccammication equipment 

includes portable radio sets, aircraft .ignal 

panels and pyrotechnics. Each soldier carries one 

ration on his person. Others are dropped in .eparate 

containers and are picked up after landing. 

For head protection parachute troops are supplied 

with crash helmets. Special boots strongly reinforced 

at the ankle and at the calf are used to 

minimize the dancer of leg injury. 

Altt-J1h the hhtor.y of the parachutiat is closelyallied 

with the development of the modern blitz 

type of _rfare, this does not mean that landing 

troops and equipment by parachute i. a new military 

tecmique. As far back as 1929 the United State. 

Army conducted one of the first succeuful experiments 

of this nature by landing a machine gun 

crew, complete with gun and ammunition, at Kelly 

Fiel;d in Texas. The 'chute used to lower the machiile 

&un had been sper lty -1esigned and developed 

by Sgt. (later Mr. Sgt ) Erwin H. Nichols, the"daddy" 

of ArmY parachut ~sts. 

Sergeant Nichols the fifth man in the world to 

make a parachute .i ;.lDIpfrom an airplane, enlisted 

at Brook. Field dUJing the World War, and, because 

of his special interest in this activity, soon.became. 

the first parachute instructor in the United 

States ArmY. For several years he was in charge 

of parachute training at Randolph Field. Sergeant 

Nichols _s head of the parachute rigging depart. 

ment at Chanute Field, Ill., at the time of his 

death from a heart attack in 1931. 

Probably the first conscious effort to experiment 

with the use of parachutists in mass proportions 

was by the Soviet Union during the several 

years which irr.n.e.liatelypreceded the outbreak of 

the present _!". The Red ArmY firs t used its new 

technique in Bessarabia. and met with a moderate 

degree of success. Later on, however, when used 

in greater nunb"rs in Finland, the paratroops failed 

almost completely. 

12 

From the .atandpoint of effecUvene •• in actual 

III1Utary cC-bat, the Gar ..... t..e s. far been the 

_oat suee ... ful by far in the Ua. of the parachutiat. 

During the Polhh .c8Ilp8ilD the deYice 

w •• used, but .omewhat .parinlly. In Po~aad the 

Qer.... , ~ ..sPAracbut •• chi.f1:lrtD.drop .abo~.ura 

.-.d. "'Jona ~lye~ 1JUhio..ho-.,Ul. te,rUor,.. 

Alain in No y the paraclu".t. _. u.ed by the 

Ger_DlI,. this time in a IIOre i.....tAlnt role. and 

played a ."ital part in the captur •• 1 0.10 .and in 

reinforcinl the German Expeditionary Force in the 

wilder regions of Nor_y. Also valuable as an adjunct 

to the operations in Belgium and Franc., it 

was, however, at Waalhaven and later in Crete, 

that the Ger_n paratroopers achieved their lIIO.t 

outstanding successes. At Waalhaven, the Rotterdam 

airport, a well-equipped, superbly coordinated 

force landed and captured the strongly fortified 

air field in less than a half-hour. 

One of the main advantages in the use of parachute 

troops is that they can be u.ed wherever 

aviation can operate, and yet they have the holdina 

pOlll'erofinfantry, which air power alone completely 

lacks. In using paratroops the element of surprise 

is highly important, because of the vulnerability 

of the troops during the descent, and 

because of the time needed after landing to e.tablish 

contacts and secure equipment. Once a foot-' 

hold has been established additional number. can 

be landed in a very short time. 

DIe illlPOrtanceof the ai rplane' s role in the. u.e 

of parachute troops cannot be minimized. If the 

troops are to be used in any great nUlllbers it is 

essential that aerial reconnaissance precede them, 

in order that a geographically suitable landinl 

area can be located, and also to determine the approximate 

strength of possible oppo.ition. Since 

the troop. are transported in highly vulnerable 

military cargo planes it is necessary that a friendly 

air force establish local air superiority prior 

to the arrival of the transports. 

Dlere is a definite technique in the succe.sful 

landing of a large group of parachutists. They 

must be dropped as near their objective, and .s 

close together as possible, and must not be in the 

air long enough to become easy targets for ground 

troops. In order to accomplish these ends, both 

delayed openings and jumps frOD extremely low altitudes 

are used. The Germans in many instances 

have jumped from altitudes of less than 300 feet. 

Fr~ this altitude landing takes less than five 

second.. Dangerous as this technique is, the speed 

and protection from ground defenses afforded by 

the swlft descent is held to be more valuable t~n 

the danger of jnjuries. 

In a well-balanced, well-equipped armed force 

there are many _ys in which parachute troops -y 

be utilized to a considerable degree of succe.s, 

(COIIClud.d on P••• 11)

RELATIVE RANK IN WORLD'S AIR FORCES 

In the air forces of most of the nations of the 

world there are 11 commissioned grades, ranging 

from second lieutenant to field marshal. Tabulations 

are given below of the relative rank in the 

air forces of Argentine, Brazi I, other Latin Amer i- 

can countries, China, France, Germany, Great 

Britain, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Russia and 

Turkey. 

GRADE 

ARGENTINE 

BRAZIL 

LATIN 

AMERICA 

OIINA 

Field Marshal 

Oene ral 

Lieut. General 

Major General 

Brig. General 

Colonel 

Lieut. Colonel 

Ma,lor 

Captain 

1st Lieutenant 

2nd Lieutenan t 

General 

.Teniente General 

.General de Division 

.General de Brigade 

Coronel 

Teniente Coronel 

Mayor 

Capitan 

Teniente 

Subteniente 

.Marechal 

.General 

.Tenente General 

General de'Divisao 

General de Brigada 

Coronel 

Tenente 

Major 

Capitao 

1st Tenente 

2nd Tenente 

Coronel 

General 

Teniente General 

General de Division 

General de Brigade 

Coronel 

Teniente Coronel 

Mayor 

Capi tan 

Teniente 

Subteniente 

Shang Otiang 

Chung Otiang 

Shao Otiang 

Shang Hsiao 

Otung Hsiao 

Shao Hsiao 

Shang Wei 

Chung Wei 

Shao Wei 

GRADE 

FRANCE 

GREAT BRITAIN 

Air Force Ranks 

JAPAN 

Field Marshal 

General 

Lieut. Genera 1 

Major General 

Brig. General 

Colonel 

Lieut. Colonel 

Major 

Captain 

1st Lieutenant 

2nd Lieutenant 

General de Division 

General de Brigade 

Colonel 

Lieut. Colone 1 

Conmandant 

Capitaine 

Lieutenant 

Sous Lieutenan t 

Feldmarschall 

Generaloberst 

General of Aviation 

Generalleutnant 

Generalmajor 

Oberst 

Oberstleutnant 

Major 

Hauptmann 

Oberleutnant 

Leutnant 

Marshal of the R.A.F. 

Air Otief Marshal 

Air Marshal 

Air Vice-Marshal 

Ai r Comnodore 

Group Capta in 

Wing Corrmander 

Squadron Leader 

Flight Lieutenant 

Flying Officer 

Pilot Off icer 

Gensui 

Taish15' 

OtUjtr 

Shosho 

Taisa 

Chtisa 

Shosa 

Taii 

ChITi 

Shoi 

GRADE 

ITALY - AIR FORCE 

TIlE 

NEmERLANDS 

RUSSIA 

TURKEY 

Field Marshal 

General 

Lieut. General 

Major General 

Brig. General 

Colonel 

Maresciallo 

Generale di Armata 

Aerea 

Generale di Squadra 

Aerea 

General di Divisione 

Aerea 

Generale di Brigata 

Aerea 

Colonnello 

.Veldmaarschalk 

Generaal 

Luitenant-Generaal 

Generaal-Majoor 

Kolonel 

Marshal Sovetskogo 

Soyuz a 

Komandarm, I-go Ranga 

Komandarm, 2-go Ranga 

Kornkor 

Komdiv 

Kombrig 

Nolkovnik 

Ferik 

Pasha 

Mir-Liva 

Mir-Alai 

Lieut. 

Colonel 

Tenente 

Colonnello 

Luitenant-Kolonel 

Kolaasi 

Major 

Maggiore 

Majoor 

Maior 

Binbashi 

Captain 

Capi tano 

Kapitein 

Kapitan 

Yoosbashi 

1st I,.ieutenant 

Tenente 

Eerste-Luitenant 

Starshii 

Leitnant 

Muliazim-evel 

2nd 

Li~utenant 

Sottotenente 

Tweede -Luitenant 

Leitnant 

Mladshii 

Leitnant 

M.1liazim-Sany 

NOTE: An asterisk preceding rank indicates that it is non existent in the peace-time organization. 

Where is part of the Army, the grades also apply to the Army. 

13

Development of Retractable Landing Gear 

THEY TUCK THEMSELVES A WAY 

It is a curious fact that a number of inventors 

worked out versions of retractable landing gear 

for airplanes before there were any airplanes. 

Drawings in the Patent Office. show a variety of 

designs, from one that looks like retractable bed 

slats to a single-wheeled technical triumph which 

must have required that the pilot part his hair in 

the middle to accomplish a safe landing even in 

theory. 

The completely retractable tricycle landing gear 

of the XB-19, with 24-ply tires 96 inches in diameter 

and wheel assemblies that weigh 2,700 pounds 

apiece, presents an extreme contrast. 

If the giant landing gear of the XB-19 could not 

be retracted and tucked away into the airplane 

flush with the surface, the 7,750-mile range of 

this monster would be shortened by hundreds of 

miles. The fact that its huge gear can be retracted 

is a demonstration that the landing gear 

unit of the experimental section at Wright Field 

has special skill in this phase of aircraft development. 

Widespread use of retractable landing gear is 

not old. One of the first successful applications 

was the Air Corps installation in its 1920 Day ton- 

Wright Gordon Bennett Racer. Employing a nut 

working on a threaded shaft, and a bicycle chain, 

the pilot cranked the wheels up and down by hand. 

By 1932, six Army airplanes had retractable 

landing gear. With the swing to low-wing monoplanes, 

designers devoted more attention to the 

possibilities of retraction, and gradually were 

rewarded with higher speeds, longer ranges and 

fuel saving. 

Since retractable landing gear always weighs 

more than fixed landing gear with fairing for the 

same airplane (due to the added weight of the retracting 

and actuating mechanism), the Air Corps 

does not install it in airplanes having speeds 

less than 175 m.p.h., except on trainers designed 

to acquaint student pilots with its operation. 

Slow liaison and primary training airplanes are 

the only production types still equipped with 

fixed landing gear. 

For each pound that is added to the landing gear, 

about. 15 pounds must be added to the whole airplane, 

because the wings or fuselage must be 

strengthened if the landing gear is retracted into 

them. Other complications in fabrication, cost, 

maintenance and operation appear with the introduction 

of retraction. All these penalties cause 

designers to wince even though they ultimately 

15 

show a handsome aerodynamic profit by retracting 

the landing gear of all high performance types, 

military and commercial. 

With the present aircraft engines, speeds above 

300 m.p.h. would be next to impossible with fixed 

landing gear. Retraction of the tail wheel on 

airplanes above the 225-250 m.p.h. class may increase 

the high speed as much as two per cent. 

Another important advantage is that smaller cooling 

area can be used when the drag is reduced by 

retracting the landing gear. 

Airplanes weighing over 16,000 pounds nearly all 

have a central power system which actuates gun 

turrets, controls, flaps, bomb bay doors, brakes 

and retraction. But the emergency retraction systems, 

for use when the main system fails, are operated 

by hand. A new trend will see compressed 

gases substituted for hand operation. 

The main power systems consist of an aero-engine 

coupling to a hydraulic pump, or an electric motor 

and mechanical coupling or hydraulic pump. The 

manually operated secondary systems are cable and 

pulley, screw and nut, worm and other gears, or 

hydraulic. The latter usually consists of a pump 

unit with operating handle, control valve for 

changing direction of the flow, and hydraulic jacks 

for movement of the undercarrage structure. 

Comple~e reliance on a purely mechanical system 

disappeared with aviators who wore their caps 

backwards. As primary systems they could not generate 

enough power to do the job on big airplanes. 

And while they were simple, qu ick acting and cheap, 

they required too much of the pilot's attention. 

During formation take-offs and landings, these 

hand-operated systems were about as convenient as 

a telephone which compels the caller to go to the 

other end of the line and ring the bell on the 

phone of the person being called. 

To observe the landing gear on a pursuit airplane, 

a primary trainer and a banber is to realize 

that each airplane must have a landing gear designed 

expressly for it. 

E. K. Lasswell, civilian chief of the alighting 

gear unit at Wright Field, explained how the designer 

proceeds stepbystep to work out a retractable 

landing gear system for a new airplane, attaining 

maximum simplicity and efficiency at the 

lowest possible cost in weight, bearing in mind 

that the airplane will receive hard military'use 

In the field so that both operation and maintenance 

must be kept as simple as possible. In short, a 

designer.of landing gear at the Materiel Division

could outdo Rube Goldberg. Be has the mechanical 

t~icks to retract the wheels in any direction, and 

could take them over the wings and down into the 

pilot's lap if the only limitation was mechanical. 

But, intent on simplicity and ruggedness, the 

designer proceeds as follows: 

The preliminary plans of the new airplane furnish 

information about its landing speed, whether 

a nose or tail wheel will be used, and the gross 

weight. From these, the designer calculates the 

braking capacity demanded, which dictates the size 

of the wheel needed to house the brakes. From the 

size of the wheels and the gross weight, the tire 

size is determined depending on a selection of a 

soft, medium or high-pressure tire. 

Necessary clearances govern the length of the 

landing gear. Propeller tips must clear the 

ground by at least nine inches. Structural clear- 

"l)Ces of the fuse.hlge, or loads suspended beneath 

1t such as bombs, smoke or gas tanks, have to be 

watched carefully. 

The first stage of the design is completed when 

the over-all size of the laming gel" is calculated. 

Then the designer starts to look the airplane 

over, hoping to find enough space to house the 

landing gear completely when it is returned. If 

the retraction wells are located in the fuselage. 

valuable space near the center of gravity is 

stolen frommilitary requirements for pilot, equipment, 

gas tanks, armament or cameras. The short 

landing gear structures of small low-wing monoplanes 

can usually retract into the thick section 

of the wings. The outboard engine nacelles of 

multi-engine models provide an ideal answer in 

larger airplanes. This is a very efficient installation 

since little fairing is required, and 

automatically a wide tread for lateral stabil~ty 

results. 

After the location of the w~lls is decided, the 

lifting, and, sometimes, folding and rotating 

mechanism which carry the wheels to the wells, is 

des igned , 

The final step in the landing gear design is to 

choose a power unit to actuate the landing gear 

system. In some late designs of airplanes, doors 

which cover the retraction wells when the wheels 

Are down as well as when up in the retracted position, 

necess itated doubling the power units. These 

doors materially reduce the drag during take-off. 

in some instances decreasing the take-off run by 

15 per cent, and boost initial climb. Also, they 

protect the interior of the airplane structure 

from mud and other foreign material thrown up by 

the wheels. 

The Air Corps requires that wheels retract in 20 

seconds, and drop and lock in landing position in 

15 seconds. Requirements of the Civil Aeronautics 

Authority are up in 60 seconds, down in 30 seconds. 


16 

Keel structures are now built into high performance 

airplanea which reduee the potential 

seriousness of belly landings. Air Corps pilots 

usually start to retract the landinl lear as soon 

as the point is passed from which a strailbt-ahead 

landing can be made in the same field. 

Inside the cockpit, visual and audibfe instruments 

aid the pilot in the operation of retractable 

land~g gear. The visual indicator, mounted 

on the instrument board, has a small airplane on 

the dial. Its wheels follow the exact movement of 

the real wheels, giving the pilot exactpos ition 

nt a glance, while a pin-point light Ilows when 

the lock-pins which anchor the wheels'in position 

drop home. An audible warning horn connected to 

the throttle honks in protest if the pilot closes 

the throttle when coming in to land with wheels 

still up. 

In addition to design, the alighting gear unit 

is continuously engaged in development projects 

for airplane wheels, tires, tubes. brakes; shock 

absorbers; fluids, valves and lines for the hydraulic 

systems, and other related projects. 

PARATR,-OPS 

particularly when accompanied by unquestionably 

super aor air power. It is known that they can immobilize 

enemy ground troops many times their nUlllber, 

that they can capture key points in the rear 

of the enemy, complete envelopment maneuvers and 

operate from five to 15 miles in front of fastmoving 

panzer divisions. 

Perhaps more than any other infantryman. the ~t'atrooper 

needs individual initiative and resourcefulness. 

His mission may be accomplished alone, 

in small numbers, or with several platoons. In 

any case, the parachutist is on his own t~ a considerable 

degree. In addition to personal skill 

and initiative and close coordination with his fellows, 

the parachutist also needs the support of 

strong air power. As far as the Unit(>rlStates 

Arm¥'s paratroopers are concerned, they will have 

it. 

( Continued Iro. P••e T.eive ) 

Paracmte troops are also valuable when operating 

independently of ground forces. They can make 

quick attacks in isolated areas, can relieve. supply 

and reinforce units already located in such terrain 

and can be used to spread confusion and ap" 

pre hens ion behind the enemy's lines. They are useful 

for sabotage purposes, for capturing vital 

installations such as supply stores, power plants, 

railway yards, docks and factories, and are valuable 

from a reconnaissance standpoint in that they can 

locate and signal to friendly aircraft the loca tion 

of important targets.

Maneuvers Under Way in South 

AIR FORCES PLAYING MAJOR ROLE ,f. f'~=-=-=i='= 

Jaw, I "-4. 

By Capt. J""'I'b 5. Edgerton ~ if ~ 

Units of the newly created Army Air Forces are 

receiving their -baptism of fire" under the most 

realistic possible conditions in connection with 

the Louisiana maneuvers and the subsequent IIIBneuvers 

in the Carolina area which will continue through 

November. 

The Air Forces, through the Air Corps and the 

Air Force Combat Command, are playing a major role 

in the training of more than a half-million officer 

s and men of the expanding armies in the tact ics 

and technique of joint air-ground operations. As 

the Louisiana ground maneuvers are the largest in 

American military history, air cooperation is on 

the largest scale in the military history of this 

nation. 

To play its part in the maneuvers, the Air Force 

Combat Command has established two -Air Task 

Forces," the Second and Third, tocooperate respect 

Ive Iy with the Second and Third Armies. "Housekeeping" 

for the two task forces has been chie fly 

a responsibili ty of the Third Air Force. Virtually 

every department of the newly organized Air Forces 

set-up has been involved in some phase of the maneUver 

preparations or operations. New units, 

such as the Fourth Air Depot Group, will make their 

debut in connection with the IIIBneuvers. 

The Air Task Forces have drawn a major part of 

their combat units from the First and Second Air 

Forces. Many of the newer types of combat aircraft 

are to be engaged and a Group of P-39's 

(Bell "Airacobras ") will be pitted against a Group 

of (Curtiss) P-40 pursuits. 

Among the major units of the Second Air Task 

Force are the Sixth Pursuit Wing, Brig. Gen. Carlyle 

H. Wash; the Thirty-first Pursuit Group, Maj. John 

R. Haw\l:ins;the Eighth Pursuit Group, Maj. Frederic 

H. Smith, Jr.; the Seventeenth Bombardment Wing, 

Brig. Gen. Follett Bradley; the Seventeenth Bombardment 

Group (medium), Lieut. Col. Walter A. Peck, 

and the Third Bombardment Group, Lieut. Col. Paul 

L. Williams. 

In the Third Air Task Force will be included the 

Tenth Pursuit Wing, Brig. Gen. Winiam O. Ryan; 

the TWentieth Pursuit Group, Col. Ira C. Eaker; 

the First Pursuit Group, Maj. Robert S. Israel, Jr.; 

the Second Bombardment Wing, Brig. Gen. Arnold N. 

Krogstad; the Twenty-second Bombardment Group, 

Lieut. Col. Louis M. Merrick, and the Twenty-seventh 

Banbardment Group, Lieut. Col. G.ty L. McNeil. 

17 

~ 

Eighteen observation squadrons, organized provisionally 

into groups, have been assigned to the 

task forces, togethe r wi th necessary a ir base 

groups, IIIBterieland transport squadrons and units 

of the attached arms and services. 

The United States Navy is cooperating, assigning 

a mixed air gro~ to the Third Air Task Force and 

a mixed Marine Corps air group to the Second Air 

Task Force. The Navy Group is com~osed of two 

fighter squadrons, one scout bomber squadron and 

one torpedo bomber squadron. Marine Corps Aviation 

is represented by one fighter squadron; two scout 

bomber squadrons, one dive bomber squadron and one 

observation squadron. 

The Air Task Forces passed from control of the 

Air Force Combat Command to their own conmanders, 

Mej. Gen. Minard F. Harmon, Second Air Task Force, 

and Mej. Gen. Herbert A. Dargue, Third Air Task 

Force, at 12:91 A.M., August 31. At that time the 

movement of ground elements of the task forces into 

the maneuver area was virtually completed and 

the movement of the tactical units began on September 

1. 

The task force units were assigned to airdromes 

scattered through Louisiana and parts of Texas and 

Mississippi. The maneuver area extends over a 

widely varied terrain, ranging from the dry, rolling 

lands of Western Louisiana and Eastern Texas 

to the swamps bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The 

Zone measures roughly 150 by 195 miles. 

The task forces conmanded by Generals Harmon and 

Dargue faced each other under combat conditions 

the realism of which, for air forces of this character, 

is easily achieved. No element of combat 

operations was lacking save the actual use of bombs 

and ammunition. Records of reconnaissance, ground 

fire, b~ targets and gunnery by camera guns and 

other devic~s, however, m~ke up much of the lack 

of live ammunition and bombs. 

After a period of preliminary exercises intended 

to shake down the new task forces and develop them 

into combat teams, the Air Task Forces on September 

14 passed to 'the conmand of the conmanding generals 

of the Second and Third Armies and became parts of 

joint ground-air combat teams. The resulting setup 

provided these armies with the greatest air 

support received by any ground forces in American 

military history. The Second Air Task Force had 

an authorized maneuver strength of 825 officers

THE dIR 

FORCES Nr:WS U:TTr:R 

and approximately 5,700 enlisted men; the Third 

Air Task Force, 1,019 officers and approximately 

6,600 enlisted men. 

Following the Louisiana maneuvers, it is planned 

to send these air task forces to the carolina area 

to participate in exercises for which details are 

to be announced later and for maneuvers, first 

with elements of the First Army and the First Army 

Corps, reinforced, and later with the First Army 

and the Fourth Army Corps. The movement to the 

Fort Bragg, N.C., area is planned during the period 

October 3-8, with exercises during the period 

October 9-November 1 and maneuvers with the First 

Army and First Army Corps November 2-13. The final 

maneuver period is scheduled for November 14-30. 

To meet the increasing demands of the modern army 

for the highest possible degree of mobility, especially 

for all units of the Army Air Forces, the 

Army Air Corps has created its first permanent 

mobile repair and supply depot and assigned it to 

duty in connection with the Louisiana maneuvers. 

The new unit, the Fourth Air Depot Group, has 

been stationed at Jackson, Miss., and is serving 

aviation units of both task forces. While decreasing 

to some extent the reality of the maneuvers, 

this arrangement has been made necessary by the 

fact that the Fourth Air Depot Group is the only 

one of its kind and it is desired to give the unit 

the utmost in the way of service testing. 

The Fourth Air Depot Group was organized and now 

has permanent station at Patterson Field, Fairfield, 

Ohio. The maneuver strength of the group is five 

officers and 467 enlisted men. The trip to maneuver 

station was made by motor, the train including 

wrecking trucks, mobile machine shops, storeS of 

a irplane and engine pa rts and .other supplies. 

The new group, although highly mobile and capable 

of being moved into undeveloped areas and set up 

rapidly, is equipped to handle the heavy work of 

reclaiming and salvaging damaged airplanes and engines, 

of replacing worn or damaged parts and of 

carrying on emergency repair work of the many types 

required if aviation units in the field are to be 

maintained in operating condition away from fixed 

depots. 

The Fourth Air Depot Group may be the forerunner 

of others intended t

AIRMANSHIP 

IN ENGLAND 

Or, After You, Sir Sydney 

Q. What is the correct procedure after a forced 

landing? 

A. The pilot. after extricating himself from 

the wreckage, should summon the nearest onlooker, 

borrow a cigarette and inquire as to his whereabouts. 

If he has landed in an onion field he 

should fill his pockets with this rare and exotic 

fruit, explaining that the Air Ministry will pay 

for everything. By this time, a Home Guard will 

have arrived. The pilot should explain in simple 

language that he is not an ene~ parachutist and 

point out the more obvious irregularities in the 

Home Guard's uniform. He should then ask to be 

directed to the nearest house containing a telephone, 

a well stocked cellar and a pretty daughter 

who has not yet met the R.A.F. It is as well to 

ring up one's C.O. the next morning to have the 

staff car sent around. 

Q. Why should extreme care always be exercised 

when taxiing? 

A. Because if you are involved in a collision 

the other participant is bound to be a senior off i- 

cer, so you will be in the wrong. 

Q. You are flying above sea at an altitude of 

20 feet, visibility zero-zero. The nearest land 

is 400 miles to starboard and you are suffering 

from cramp. Suddenly both your engines fail and 

the port wing drops off. What is your immediate 

action? 

A. Make out in triplicate a request to be granted 

six days' compassionate leave. 

19 

Q. What action should a pilot take before a 

flight? 

A. First of all ask yourself whether you ,really 

wish to fly that day or not. On deciding that you 

do, or having it decided for you, the next step is 

to chOose an airplane. The wise pilot will choose 

one of a type which he has flown before and will 

ensure that his particular choice has not recently 

had its engines removed for inspection. You must 

now ask an airman if he will be good enough to 

wind the thing UP and sit yourself in the cockpit. 

By the time you have arranged the par&chute and 

harnes~ to your satisfaction, the airman should 

have primed the engine and be winding like a mad 

thing, casting occasional reproachful glances at 

the cockpit. Choose a moment when he is not looking 

to turn on the gasoline. When the engine 

starts, throttle back before running into the 

hangar and tie a knot in your rip cord to remind 

you that next time you must use chocks. Cast a 

rapid glance around your instruments to make sure 

that they are all there and then wave the airman 

away. (You do not know, of course, that he fell 

off when the engine started and is now struggling 

from under the tail wheel.) Having surmounted the 

obstruction offered by his writh~ng legs, taxi 

smartly into the wind, turn downwind aAd take off. 

1HE SKY IS YClJRS. 

Q. What precaution should be taken when landing 

on a strange aerodrome? 

A. Dive to within 20 feet of the Control Tower 

to wake up the Duty Pilot and pull out on a climbing 

roll. (Note:-Pilots in twin-engined aircraft 

may execute a stalled turn instead; it will have 

the .ame effect.) Carr~ out a wrong circuit to 

let them kn~ that you are a visitor and land as 

near the mess allpossible. Frolll PUNCH

Wanted: More Pilots 

RESERVE OFFICERS GET FLIGHT TRAINING 

~ 

GEN. BRETT VISITING WAR ZONa 

TO STUDY R.A.F. MAINTENANCE 

Almost at the same time as the new officertraining 

policy went into effect is was announced 

that another group of potential pilots, the first 

class of enlisted aviation students, had begun 

training to win warrants as Staff Sergeant Pilots. 

Although applications for pilot training are being 

accepted from reserve officers at present, no 

definite plans have yet been announced concerning 

the form the training will take, where it will be 

given or the number of officers to be accepted. 

In order to quali fy for flying training in grade, 

applicants must be physically qualified, must be 

recommended by their military superiors for such 

duty, must have anefficiency rating of "excellent" 

or better, must not have passed their 27th birthday 

and must have been cit izens of the United States 

for not less than 10 years. 

Officers accepted for flight training must agree 

to serve three years on extended active duty with 

the Air Corpa after successful completion of their 

course of instruction. If they have ever been 

eliminated from a service flying school for failure 

in flying, or if they have ever completed the 

course of instruction of a service flying school 

they will not be considered eligible. 

Enlisted men receiving pilot training at present 

number 188. Of these, 125 are in training at the 

Spartan School of Aeronautics, Muskogee, Okla., 

a'nd 63 at the Brayton Flying School, Cuero, Texas. 

Two other War Department decisions affecting reserve 

officers of the Air Corps were made during 

the past month. One of these held that the recent 

announcement that reserve officers would not be required 

to remain on active duty upon the completion 

of one year's service did not apply to the Air 

Corps. 

The other provided that, due to the emergency, 

reserve officers who have served on extended active 

duty since January 1, 1940, or who were on extended 

active duty on or after August 15, 1941, are relieved 

of the Army Extension Courses requirement 

for a certificate of capacity for promotion. 

In response to requests being made for the security 

cartoons on the inside back cover, steps now 

are being taken to obtain poster -size reproduct ions 

in sufficient quantities to meet the demand. 

20 

A close-hand survey of Royal Air Force materiel 

problems on the various war fronts is being made 

personally by Maj. Gen. George H. Brett, Chief of 

the Air Corps, and a group of assistants who are 

touring the war zone in an army airplane. 

General Brett's tour of the African, Near East, 

Mediterranean and Atlantic war fronts is being 

made for two principal purposes. First, it will 

give him and his special staff a first-hand opportunity 

to determine the needs of the British 

for air equipment manufactured by the Uni ted States. 

Second, he will be able to study two particularly 

pressing problems--the maintenance and repair of 

air equipment and the question of supply. 

General Brett is accompanied by Col. R.A. Dunn, 

Air Corps; Col. J.B. Newman, Jr., Corps of Engineers; 

Lieut. Jack W. Perry, Air Corps, and Mr. 

Harry C. Short, of the Middletown Air Depot. Col. 

Caleb V. Haynes, Air Corps, has command of the 

airplane crew. Lieut. Col. E.M. Powers, Maj. James 

H. Doolittle and Lieut. Col. X.G. Boyd are on a 

similar tour and will meet the other party at various 

places in the war zone. 

The supply and maintenance of American aircraft 

in the war zones has been made more difficult be. 

cause of personnel familiar with these aircraft 

and American equipment. One of the important features 

of General Brett's studies will be that of 

the maintenance personnel problem. Spare parts 

and supplies must be provided in the proper proportions. 

Provisions must be made for supplying and training 

the necessary personnel in the maintenance and 

use of ~rican equipment. Different procedures 

must be set up for each zone due to local conditions. 

Which method or combination of methods is 

to be adopted must be determined. 

General Brett is.making his personal survey of 

the situation with the assistance of a staff selected 

from personnel familiar with all phases of the 

production, delivery, maintenance, supply and t ra Ining 

problems involved. Additional staff assistants 

will meet him en route during the trip for special 

studies at particular points. 

From the personal knowledge of the subject gained 

by General Brett and members of his special staffs 

during the present tour, it will be possible for 

the Air Corps and allied military and industrial 

organizations toplan efficiently and intelligently 

for the future.

AIr Pewer Held. the Key 

fAmmand of the Oeean Approaeltes 

B;vUeat. fAl. Tho._ B. PhlWp. 

Ge_.... staU~ ... 

\ 

Even if the United States had no harbor defenses 

it would be impregnable to invasion. And this 

still would be true if our Navy were inferior to 

that of an invading power. In spite of this, a 

great program of harbor-defense construction is 

proposed and is partially under way. One wonders 

if this program has been devised with full realization 

of the ability of air power to perform many 

functions of harbor-defense installations. 

Harbor defenses are supported by the argument 

that they will prevent invasion of the United 

States. Actually, they never were intended to 

prevent invasion. If the need for harbor defenses 

depended upon their ability to protect the United 

States from invasion, it would be very simple to 

prove that no harbor defenses are necessary. Landbased 

air power has made the United States impregnable 

toa sea-borne invasion. 

The attempted counterinvasion of Norway by the 

British supplied the factual proof of the wellestablished 

theory that sea-borne invasions are 

impossible against land-based air power. This 

particular operation took place under the most 

favorable circumstances possible for the British: 

The Norwegians welcomed their coming and desired 

their help; the British did not have to contend 

with any harbor defenses nor enemy forces when 

they made their landings at Aandalsnes and Namsos -- 

there was nothing to oppose them until they had 

marched a considerable distance into Norway where 

they met advanced detachments of the German Army; 

nevertheless, the invasion failed. 

Prime Minister Churchill gave as explanation for 

this failure -intense, continuous bombings of the 

bases at Namsos and Aandalsnes which prevented the 

landing in those small fishing ports of any large 

reenforcements and even of artillery for the infantry 

already landed. It, therefore, was necessary 

to withdraw the troops or to leave them to be 

destroyed by overwhelming forces. The decision to 

withdraw was undoubtedly sound. The withdrawal of 

these 12,000 men--less than a division--was accomplished 

with very great skill and, I must add, very 

lood luck;" 

In other words. nothing but the "intense, continuous 

bombinlS" prevented the success of the 

British counter invasion of Norway. There were no 

harbor-defense guns to fire against the British 

nor were any German troops at the harbors to live 

the slightest opposition to the landings. This 

21 

'----- -_. -- 

was purely a victory of air power over a sea-borne 

invasion which had no aerial support. 

On the German side. the means to repel the invasion 

were qui te inadequate. Germany had occupied 

the airdromes at ~lo and Stavanger. ~lo is 326 

miles from Namsos and 220 miles from Aandalsnes. 

Stavanger is 260 miles from Aandalsnes and 420 miles 

from Namsos. Thus the German air forces operating 

against the British invasion bases had to operate 

from considerable distances. Not only that, but 

they were very limited in numbers--to the numbers 

that.could be placed on four rather inadequate 

airdromes--and were engaged primarily in supporting 

the ground operations of the German troops who 

were driving through the Norwegian valleys in an 

effort to reach the British. 

Another factor of great importance in favor of 

the Briti~h was the short distance that the expeditionary 

forces had to go to reach Norway and 

the fact that their ships could approach the Norwegian 

coast beyond range of German bombers closely 

enough so that the final run to the coas.t could be 

made in darkness and wi thout fear of bombing. Bombing 

was possible only after the ships reached the 

harbors. 

It might be thought rash to conclude from a single 

example that impregnability toa sea-borne invasion 

could be considered as proved. The British effort 

in Norway was a very special case, however, in 

which every factor, except readiness, perhaps, favored 

the invader. If the conditions under which 

an invasion would have to be attempted against the 

United States are visualized, it will be seen that 

the problem of invading this country would be infinitely 

more difficult than was the British problem 

of landing troops in Norway. Leaving aside 

naval interference, imagine a convoy of 40 or SO 

troopships crossing the 3,000 miles of the Atlantic 

Ocean toward the United States. The departure of 

such an 'invading force could not be kept secre t , 

Our defending bombers would start attacking it a 

thousand miles from the coast. The attacks would 

grow in intensity as the convoy approached. The 

invasion might not be stopped before it reached 

the coast, but it would be badly damaged. 

Imagine. then, this convoy attempting to come 

into a harbor and remaining practically stationary 

for days in narrow waters with the entire bombing 

force available to the United States working on 

it. The picture is incredible. The invasion


would be doomed. No military leader would ever 

think of making such an attempt. The presence or 

absence of harbor defenses along the American 

coast would be of no importance whatsoever against 

a sea-corne invasion, as long as we possess ample 

land-based air power. 

It may be argued that naval vessels have not been 

driven off the seas .within bombing range in the 

North Sea and the Mediterranean, and that convoys 

are operating occasionally even in the English 

Channel. The reasons that this is possible will 

be considered in more detail later. It suffices 

for the present to note that these ships are subje~t 

to bombing raids for relatively short periods 

of time, that they first must be discovered, and 

that they are not tied up at docks nor subject to 

bombardment for long periods. None of these favorable 

factors applies to an effort to unload troop 

transports nor to the continuing supply and reenforcement 

of troops already landed. In Norway, 

the British landed their first troops but could 

not reenforce them once the bases were discovered 

and watched and bombed constantly. 

What leader would be willing to risk thousands 

of men packed like sardines in a transport under 

the bombing conditions that can be visualized? 

Churchill would not. And if these transports had 

to come across an ocean to be met with enormously 

more intense bombing, no leader would consider it. 

The whole business of invasion across the sea 

against ample land-based air power no longer is in 

the book of possibilities. 

Almost no other event ~n the history of warfare 

equals this in importance. For the United States, 

particularly, the conclusion is transcendental. 

It makes it possible for this country to insure 

not only its own continental territory from invasion 

but, by the provision of a suitable air-base and 

airways system, to insure the impregnability of 

all North and South America. If this country takes 

advantage of the defensive powers given to it by 

the bombardment airplane, its impregnability to 

military invasion is assured in the foreseeable 

future. 

The successful German invasion of Norway through 

its principal harbors--OSlo, Stavanger, Trondheim, 

Narvik--has been cited to prove that had Norway 

been supplied with adequate harbor defenses, or if 

those defenses had not been tricked into impotenc~ 

Norway could not have been invaded by the German~ 

To quote one protagonist: -The salient fact was 

that the Germans went on in unopposed, tied up at 

the docks, put their men and supplies ashore, and 

proceeded to overrun the country." From this was 

deduced proof that had the Norwegian harbor defenses 

functioned effectively, the invasion could 

not have succeeded. Historically, however, most 

landings on hostile shore have been made away from 

harbors, and the troops have proceeded overland to 

22 

capture from the rear the harbor defenses and the 

cities they protected. Norway did have harbor defenses, 

and good ones, at Trondheim and Oslo. It 

was easy to trick them, and once the Germans were 

within the harbors ,.these defenses no longer had 

any value. 

Much more important was the fact that Norway 

had no air force. Had a Norwegian air force been 

in existence, it would have been able to block the 

German invasion of Norwegian harbors just as effectively 

as the German air force later blocked 

the British invasion of Norwegian harbors. And 

this would be true whether or not Norway had any 

harbor defenses. In the case of the ports distant 

from Germany--Trondheim and Narvik--an ample Norwegian 

air force would have made German operations 

in these ports impassible. They were too distant 

for hostile operations to be protected by German 

air power based in Denmark or Germany. Even Oslo 

is 200 miles from the Aalborg airport used by the 

Germans in Denmark, and a small air force should 

have been able to best much larger German fighter 

forces that might have been used to protect the 

landing in Oslo. The Norwegian harbor defenses 

were made impotent by false messages or treachery. 

Within an hour, their usefulness had vanished because 

German forces had passed them. The air 

forces might have been tricked for a short time, 

but since air bases usually are-back from the coast, 

their impotence would have been of short duration 

Air power has still another advantage as a defensive 

force. This is its ability to assemble 

and concentrate its entire power for operations 

against a single point. Harbor defenses are immovable, 

and the individual forts can give no assistance 

to the forts 50 or 200 miles away. But 

all the bombing planes in the nation can be concentrated 

so as to apply their power at the single 

threatened point, and this concentration can take 

place with almost incredible rapidity--in a day or 

two at the most. 1 

Prime Minister Churchill explained the failure 

of the British fleet to operate in the Skagerrak 

on German communications toNorway as follows: "DJt 

immense enemy air strength, which can be brought to 

bear on our patrolling craft, makes this method far 

too costly to be adopted. Important forces would 

have to be employed in order to maintain a steady 

surface patrol and the losses which would have 

been inflicted on the patrol from the air would 

undoubtedly very soon constitute a naval disaster." 

In other words, the British patrolling vessels 

would have had to remain on duty in the Skagerrak 

subject to continuous bombing by immense air forces. 

The operation was impossible, and the British were 

correct in not making the effort. 

Prime Minister Churchill's objections to operating 

in the Skagerrak were abundantly proved when 

the Br itish fleet operated under similar condit ions 

in attempting to prevent the invasion of Crete.

THE -fIR FORCES NEil'S LETTER 

After the loss of four cruisers and seven destroyers, 

the fleet withdrew. Here the real factors in 

the question of air power versus sea power were 

demonstrated in one operation; namely, immense 

bambing forces and the fact that the ships would 

have to remain subject to bombing. 

Malta also shows the impossibility of a fleet 

remaining within range of large bombing forces. It 

is only 60 miles from Italy and is untenable as a 

fleet base. The fact that the British still hold 

it is of minor importance. It is no longer a base-- 

it is just a piece of land. On the other hand, 

Gibraltar--7S0 miles from Italy--hardly has been 

bothered by bombing. The distance is too great 

for bombardment operations to be carried on with 

the necessary mass and continuity. Gibraltar is 

protected from massive and continuous bombing by 

distance. 

Convoys operating in the North Sea, the English 

Chennel, and the Mediterranean gain partial protection 

from the time element. By making use of 

darkness to pass the more dangerous areas, the 

convoys are within effective bombing range too 

short a time to be disastrously endangered, unless 

massive bombing forces are on hand to operate 

against them. There have been many ships lost and 

pther ships injured, but the damage has not been 

great enough to prevent occasional passage. Scapa 

Flow, 300 miles from N~rway, has been made untenable 

as a fleet base by the bombing threat. In 

this case, Germany has a sufficient number of bombing 

planes based closely enough to make the danger 

of remaining at the base too great for the possible 

military advantages that would be obtained. 

In the Mediterranean, Italian air operations 

originally appeared to give the lie to all these 

contentions. Failure of the Italian Air Force to 

be more successful in preventing British convoy 

and fleet operations close to Italian and Libyan 

coasts was one of the major mysteries of the war. 

The British even penetrated the Adriatic (at night), 

December 19-20, 1940, and bombarded the Albanian 

seaport of Valona without aerial interference by 

the Italians. It is now apparent that Italian air 

power was not oP/i!ratingin sufficient mass in these 

waters to perform its missions effectively. When 

it was reenforced by German squadrons, the last 

British convoy to pass through suffered such extensive 

losses that no more convoys have been attempted. 

The war has showed roe fact conclusively-- 

air power dominates sea power in narrow seas and 

near the coasts. 

Was not the insufficiency of Italian air power 

in the Mediterranean one of the inherent weaknesses 

of air power? And if air power is depended 

upon, are we not apt to find that it may be unavailable 

at the critical time? Harbor defenses 

are so comforting. The big ugly-muzzled guns are 

always there, ready and waiting--a definite assur- 

23 

ance of protection for one little spot for all 

time. Doubt as to the availability of air power 

can be dismissed as far as the United States is 

concerned. We shall always have it in the future 

in ample quantity. And instead of a dozen or two 

dozen gtns defending a harbor, _ shall have 2,000 

or 4,000 bombers ready to be concentrated for the 

defense of any point, not of harbors alone, but of 

all the beaches and all the coasts. 

Harbor defenses in the past _re constructed to 

perform the following functions: first, to permit 

movement of our naval forces in and out of harbors; 

secondly, to protect harbor facilities and ships 

in the harbor from naval gunfire and torpedoes; 

thirdly, to prevent enemy ships from entering the 

harbor; fourthly, to furnish incidental support to 

defense against landing attacks within range of 

the defense guns. 

What has air power done to these missions? If a 

hostile fleet cannot remain on guard outside a. harbor 

to prevent the exit or lngre .. of our own fleet 

because of the threat of bombing, then no harbor 

defenses are necessary for that purpose alone. Ex~ 

cept for hostile air power the British fleet might 

have been maintained close to the Skagerrak or to 

the Kiel Canal or to Heligoland. This mission of 

harbor defenses is ended. Air power can perform 

this mission far more effectively than guns ever 

could, since guns never had the necessary range to 

provide ample maneuver room for a fleet leaving a 

harbor. 

Protection of ships and harbor facilities from 

naval gunfire and torpedoes is still as necessary 

a function of harbor defense as ever. The European 

war has shown that ships can stay within bombing 

range at night long enough to make raids on shore 

installations. The French and British both raided 

Italian shore installations and escaped with minor 

damage. The British have raided the Dodecanese 

and the Libyan coast and have escaped without serious 

injury. The British bombarded the Germanheld 

airdromes at Stavanger from cruisers for several 

hours. Thus the experience of the European 

war seems to prove that air power is not Yet sufficiently 

strong to prevent raids and naval bombardments. 

Harbor defenses must be provided for 

thi. purpose. 

Whether or not air ~r can deny enemy ships 

access to harbors and adjacent waters depends upon 

the nature of the harbor. In such a harbor as 

Puget Sound, where hostile ships would have to steam 

300 or more miles to get in and out, and where they 

never could be lost sight of in the narrow waters, 

air power should suffice to entrap the raiders. 

They might get in, but they never could get out. 

In the case of shallow harbors easy of access. the 

problem would be similar to that of a naval raid: 

some guns would be required to prevent a raid, but 

air power would be ample to prevent the continued 

use of the harbor.

THE AIR FORCE8 NEW'S LETTER 

The question of the ability of air power to prevent 

invasion already has been discussed. Harbor 

defense~ never were built primarily with that end 

,in view, and this question certainly needs no consideration 

in their construction in th.' future. 

This affirmation, however. applies only~en the 

defensive air power is immeasurably superior to 

that which can be brouaht apinst it. n.. case of 

a German invasion of Great Britain across the nar. 

row English Channel is different from an invasion 

across the OCean, since, in the former case, the 

invader's air lorce can operate from land bases. 

Aa-inst some of our foreign possessions an attacking 

naval force might be able to bring superior 

air power on carriers; hence all the old missions 

of harbor defense apply with full force to them. 

In tbe July-August 1941 issue of ARMY ORDNANCE 

(Vol. XXII, No. 127, p. 46), General Hagood gave 

a 13-point program for coast defense on which 

$200,000,000 would be spent. There was little to 

cavil at in this program except that it appears 

to have been based on the obsolet. missions of 

harbor defenses. For exan:ple, General Hagood recommended 

new harbor defenses in the Houston-Beaumont 

area of Texas with special reference to the 

protection of the oil fields. Beaunontand Houston 

are inland ports with narrow channels leading to 

them. No naval force or transports could live for 

24 hours in these channels under bombing attack. 

This proposal obviously was intended to prevent 

a sea-borne invasion from capturing the oil fields, 

since they are not close enough to the coast to 

be bombarded. Air power not only bas made such an 

operation impossible, but new American defenses 

closing the gaps into the caribbean through the 

Greater and lesser Antilles will make this sea, 

through which the Gulf ports of the United States 

must be approached,' a trap which no hostile naval 

force or transports ever would dare to enter. 

The West Indies, if .fully exploited to close the 

Caribbean, furnish complete protection for the 

American Gulf Coast. Not only are no new harbor 

defenses needed, but those now in existence have 

little further reason for being maintained. And 

not only do American defenses along the Antille. 

protect the Gulf Coast, but they also secure the 

northern shores of Venezuela and Colombia, the 

Panama canal and the eastern coast of Central America 

and Mexico. 

()l the other hand, many new seacoast-gun installations 

for the protection of factories and bases 

from naval bombardment might very well have been 

recommended. Naval air-patrol stations will be 

constructed at many new points in continental 

United States and the caribbean Sea; since these 

are for seaplanes and are close to the coast, they 

are subject to naval bombardment during raids,and 

must have seacoast guns to keep enemy raiders beyond 

range. 

24 

INTBRCBPTOR 

EXERCISES 

Aided by thousands of volunteer eivilians, Air 

Force Coabat COmmand WlitS wi 11 carry out exerc hes 

during October to test the alertness and effectiveness 

of the Eastern seaboard defen.e against hostile 

air operations. 

The First Interceptor Command with headquarters 

at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York, will conduct 

exercises from October 9 to 16, covering the 

northern part of the seaboard from the Virginia- 

North carolina line to Boston. The Third Interceptor 

COmmand, with headquarters at Drew Field, 

Tampa, Florida, will conduct similar exercises in 

the southern region of the seacoast fran OCtober 20 

,to 25. This area includes North and South carolina 

and Georgia. 

Each of the Interceptor eo.-nds will have available 

at least four pursuit groups, and two or three 

bombardment groups and reconnaissance units. The 

bombardment units, which will include both medium 

bombers and the longer range heaVY bombers, will 

simulate "attacks" on the various regions to be 

included in the defense exercises. Pursuit ships 

of the latest type will be used to intercept these 

"threats" to military objectives along the seacoast 

that are so vital to tbe national defense. 

The Aircraft Warning Service, which fWlctions with 

the aid of the many civilian observers stationed 

at strategically located points throughout the 

area taking psrt will playa vital role. 

Civilian spotters will be alerted for the exercises 

throughout areas approximately 125 to 150 

miles inland fran the seacoast. These persons wi 11 

be constantly on the lookout during the exercises 

to report the number of planes, the type and the 

direction of flight. Flights that might be made 

by -enemy bombers" from ships at sea will be 

SpOtted from patrols of Ar~ aircraft and by other 

_ans. 

Air power has not superseded coast defenses, but 

it can perform some of their functions more effectively 

than guns ever did. On the other hand, 

the increase in naval air installations on the 

shore, together with acceptance of bombardment of 

nonmilitary installations as legitimate targets, 

makes more harbor defenses necessary for their 

protection. Any harbor defenses constructed or 

modernized should take into account the ability of 

the bombing plane to perform certain of the old 

missions. 

The bomber has made the American coast impregnable 

to invasion. This is the most important 

mili tary fact that can be deduced fran the Eu..opean 

war. If new harbor defenses are to be constructed, 

let them be built with our eyes on today and tomorrow 

and not on yesterday. 

Conde need fro. ARMY O.D~NCB 

Septe~er-OCtober J94J.

Ground 

Defense 

PROTECTING THE AIR BASE 

The Army Air Forces do not intend to be caught napping 

when it comes to the protection of air bases 

the entire air base defense effort, and for this 

reason they are not left out of the Army's plans. 

from possible attack. Such is indicated by recently 

announced War Department policies for the sive defense measures included in the new policies 

While not so obvious as the active defenses, pas- 

ground defense of these vital installations. 

playa very important role in the successful protection 

of air bases from attack. Not actively 

In training circular No. 47 the general aspects 

utilized during military engagements, they still 

of the new program are described. This publication 

playa vital preventive role by minimizing the 

states that the ground defense of a~ air base 

should comprise "all practicable passive and active 

damage an attacking force can do, and by enabling 

defense means, carefully coordinated," that it requires 

local ground defense forces, plus adequate 

the active defenses to be used with more effective 

results. 

mobile reserves, "and that such protection is an Some of the most important of the passive defense 

integral part of the defense of the entire area in measures come under the general heading of "damage 

which the base is located." 

control'~ These include the preparation and employment 

of fire-fighting plans and equipment, the 

The job of putting the new policies into effect 

is the responsibility of local air base cOllll1Bnders, 

dispersion of vital installations, and the construction 

of protective bunkers and barbed wire. 

who are charged with the operation of local defenses; 

and of theater, or territorial, cOlllll8nders, 

Other passive defenses to he utilized include 

dummy fields, camouflage, artificial smoke and 

who are charged with the allocation of ground defense 

troops to localized defense areas. 

fog, shelters, obstructions, chemical decontamination 

equipment, and alarm systems. 

Broad as the new plans are, they have not been 

Of the above, dummy fields are the most elaborate. 

created without attention to the details involved. 

For this reason there is included in the circular 

They are erected for the purpose of diverting 

a careful evaluation of the various possible 

hostile air attacks from real objectives, and for 

methods of attack, and a general description of this reason will be built to resemble actual 

the defenses which have Leen developed to combat 

fields as closely as possible. In order best to 

serve their purpose, dunmy fields. will show signs 

them. Measures listed provide protection from almost 

every known military danger, including aerial 

of use, activity, and attempted concealment. 

bombardment, aerial gunnery, air-landing operations, 

use of chemicals, direct ground assaults, protection of real fields through the use of 

Closely allied to the use of dumm¥ fields is the 

parachute troops, and sabotage. 

camouflage. According to the War Department's recent 

training circular, every effort will be made 

Defense plans in general have been divided into 

two categories--active and passive. Active defenses 

are those which are brought into play dur ing presence of air fields through the use of this de- 

to conceal from the air all indications of the 

an actual military encounter, and comprise the vice, and also through the utilization of artificial 

fog and smoke. When used correctly these 

antiaircraft installations, machine guns, and 

searchlights which are used against attacking aircraft; 

and the field artillery, armored forces, ment, thus decreasing the probability of damage 

force hostile aircraft to resort to area bombard- 

and motorized units used against ground attacks, to vital installations. 

air-landing operations, and parachute troops. 

An example of the Army's utilization of the technique 

of camouflage was brought out recently in 

Types of weapons to be used include, among others, 

antiaircraft guns, 37 mm antiaircraft and antitank the New York Times, where the method of concealment 

guns, .30 caliber automatic and semi-automatic of a New England airport is described. According 

weapons, and antiaircraft and motorized artillery. to the article, trees, grass and plowed areas will 

Also classified as active are the field fortifications 

and emplacements which will surround Army some of the visible barracks will be built along 

preserve the rural appearance of the area, and 

air bases. Pill boxes, trenches, and redoubts are the lines of tobacco barns and painted the same 

all pr.ovided for in an "inward and outward perimeter 

defense"which guarantees effective coordi- 

-The latest in chain roadside restaurants will 

dull- red color. 

nation and adequate fire coverage for allapproaches. be simulated for a mess hall and certain buildings 

Often the number and quality of these installations 

determines to a large degree the success of on to say, and ..these lat ter wi 11 even have make. 

will be given churchlike spires," the article goes 

25

THE ,1IR FORCES NEIPS LETTER 

believe cemeteries, complete with headstones." To 

complete the picture a false railroad track will 

be laid, and existing roads will be allowed to 

meander as before. 

Splinterproof shelters are also included in 

present plans. These will be used for the protection 

of personnel, fuel, bombs, ammunition and 

such vital locations as radio and control rooms, 

repair shops and operations offices. Dispersion 

of the shelters will be accomplished whenever possible 

in order to afford maximum protection. 

Military obstructions to be used are in general 

of two types--those which impede the operation of 

ground forces, and those which prevent the landing 

of aircraft. Fences, barbed wire, road blocks, 

mines and vehicles which are not in use are all 

valuable in preventing the landing of enemy aircraft, 

and also for use against parachute and airlanded 

troops making direct ground assaults. 

The alarm system called for under the new program 

will consist of a vast network of warning 

stations which, in the continental United States, 

have been placed under the supe rv i sion of the Commanding 

General of the Air Force Combat Command. 

In oversea possess ions and bases alarm systems will 

be established by the territorial commander of each 

area. Local alarms will be provided at individual 

stations in order that all personnel may be warned 

and in their assigned locations by the time the 

attack occurs. 

Just as much a part of the air base defense effort 

as some of the more active measures is the 

communication system. This must be kept in operation 

if the other defense activities of the base 

are to be coordinated and directed. In order to 

guarantee that communications will be held open 

such measures as concealed underground cables, 

radio and pr?technic signals will be used. 

Vital and important as most of the above defense 

measures are, if the air base is to be successfully 

defended against sustained attack it is essential 

that reserves in sufficient quantity be 

available, and in as short a time as possible. For 

this reason Army plans call for the location of 

reserve forces where they will be able to intervene 

rapidly in enemy action on or near air bases. 

They will be highly mobile, and will be strong in 

armored vehicles and artillery. 

So many of the former National Guard observation 

squadrons are losing their experienced officers to 

newly organized units of the Army Air Forces that 

at least one, the 108th (which based "before the 

war" in Chicago) has started a weekly news letter 

to keep" you guys out there" informed of what" all 

of us back here" are doing. 

26 

CADETS 

GET NEW UNIFORMS 

The familiar slate-blue uniform for aviation 

cadets is to be discarded and the students soon 

will be supplied with an olive-drab uniform that 

needs only officer's insignia to be suitable for 

official wear after the cadet graduates and receives 

his commission. 

The new uniform will be identical to the regular 

Army Air Forces officer's garb except that it will 

not have the braided sle~yc Hnd the shoulder insignia. 

It will be of elastique t with dark blouse 

and lighter slacks, and the conventional metal U.S. 

and propeller-and-wings insignia will be worn on 

the lapels. 

While the wearer is a cadet, the regular cadet's 

gold thread, wings-and-propeller on a circle of 

blue cloth will be worn on the sleeve. Upon graduation 

and commissioning, he will remove this and 

substitute sleeve braid and second lieutenant's 

bars. 

This step is similar to that taken by the Navy 

some years ago, when the blue serge uniform of the 

regiment of midshipmen was altered to make it possible 

for the Annapolis student.s to add insignia 

and wear the uniform after they had graduated and 

received their commissions. 

All slate-blue uniforms already acquired by the 

Quartermaster Department are being concentrated at 

Randolph Field, where they will be issued to cadets 

in that training area until the present supply is 

exhausted--probably in a month or two. At other 

flying schools, however, all cadets entering the 

basic stage in the future will be issued the new 

officer-type uniforms. Both woolen 0.0. and cot. 

ton khaki, depending upon the locality and season, 

will be issued. 

The uselessness of the slate-blue uniform after 

graduation, resulting in a waste of valuable wool, 

and a production problem resulting from the enormous 

expansion of The Army Air Forces contributed 

to the War Department's decision to make the 

change. The blue uniform is completely useless to 

a graduated cadet, except for working about his 

quarters, wear to masquerades or for other miscellaneous 

purposes. 

To eliminate waste of expensive equipment, the 

new uniforms are not being issued to cadets until 

they have passed out of the primary or "maximum 

elimination" period and have entered the basic 

stage. During the primary stage, cadets will 

continue to wear comparatively inexpensive coveralls. 

Cadets apparently will continue to receive the 

uniform allowance of $150, which they get upon 

graduation, despite the new system. This is based 

upon the fact that the uniform allowance is part 

of an Act of Congress (the insurance bill) and an 

amendment of the act would be required to eliminate 

the allowance. 

..

AMERICANS 

ABROAD 

U. S. :PilotsWith the Empire Forces 

WITH THE R. A. F. ~ ~ ,-' WITH THE R' C. A. F. 

By Lieut. ]. B. Holst ~~ 

By Lieut. Reed R. De Rauen 

~~ 

When asked how many of us were in the group which 

came to the Royal Air Force from the Air Forces as 

observers, my answer was thirteen. All the RAF 

pilots expressed ama%ement at our apparent lack of 

superstition. It was always amusing to see the 

reactions to that answer. But at the time of this 

writing all of us have returned safe and sound to 

the good old.U.S.A. 

Mos t of u. exper ienced a 'bombing or two and some 

went through real blit%es. None suffered any injury 

except the author and that during the blackout 

when riding on the back of a motorcyc.le driven by 

~ absentminded Canadian who tried to pass a truck 

on the left side instead of the right. Water on 

the knee is not much fun, but the knee eventually 

becomes usable again. 

MY friend. expected me to return starved to the 

point of collapse. The idea that most Americans 

have about the terrible food shortage in England 

is all wrong. On the contrary, we had four meals 

a day: breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. Of course, 

I'll admit that one does become tired of eating 

cabbage and potatoes three times a day, in spite 

of the fact tha t when se rved for breakfas t mixed 

together and fried it is called "bubble and squeak." 

There are plenty tt such breakfast foods as shredded 

wheat and corn flakes, but eggs are practically nonexistent 

and butter a thing of the past. It was 

suggested that a man with a little business acumen 

and a few thousand chickens could make a killing in 

England, but, then, there is no grain to feed the 

chickens. 

Even though the food in the officers' messes and 

in the average man's home was rather limited with 

respect to variety, practically any dish could be 

obtained in most ..of the better restaurants and 

clubs in London--even fresh peaches at three shillings 

six pence each, which at the present rate of 

exchange amounts to about seventy cents. 

Living expenses were negligible as long as we 

stayed on the station because, since the war, the 

pay of the officers in the RAF has b~encut about 

in half~ Naturally, a man cannot be expected to 

pay more than he earns just for living expenses. 

Living in town, on the other hand" would cost more 

than it would in the States because of heavy taxes 

on everything. 

(Cont inue" on Next P•• e) 

27 

My experiences with the Royal Canadian Air Force 

began shortly after I ieft the United States Army 

Air Corps as a flying cadet in October, 1940. I 

had -washed out"after five and a half months 

training here and to keep flying I enlisted in the 

R.C.A.F. at Ottawa, Ontario. 

Entrance requirements for the R.C.A.F. are virtually 

the same as they are here with the exception 

the British require airmen to have only one year of 

college work which is taken in high school and is 

referred to as ..senior matr ic ... 

In the.British air force all enlistees, both for 

air and ground crews, are rated AC2, aircraftsmen 

second class, similar toour private's rating. Men 

who cannot pass the physical. or mental requirements 

for air work are assigned to ground crews. Uniform 

worn by both groups is exactly the same except for 

a white cloth insignia attached to the overseas 

cap of the airmen. 

After enlisting I was sent to Toronto's No. 1 

Manning Pool, an air force reception center. A 

group of us arrived at Manning Pbol at 1 A.M. and 

found the outside cold and deserted, although the 

interior literally bu%%ed with activity. 

Processing began immediately and by reveille we 

had gone through the mill, taking typhoid shots, 

smallpox vaccinatio~ and drawing our complete uniform 

kit. Next day we discovered that Manning 

Pool was a huge mi1i ta!y encampment built on the 

site of the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds. 

Approximately 6,000 air force men were lodged in 

the coliseum, which was partitioned off for sleeping 

quarters, mess hall, medical anddentai clinics, 

supply rooms and a central tanbark area for drill. 

For 10 days we were given close order army drill 

and then were sent to Eglington Hunt Club, No. 1 

Initial Training School, on the other side of 

Toronto. There men were qualified as pilots, gunners 

and observers by a series of examinations and 

short courses in visual Link Trainers, coord ina tion 

tests, the Banting Altitude Chamber Test, originated 

by the late Sir Frederick Banting, who was 

killed recently while on a flight from Canada to 

Xngland, and a mathematics test including solid 

geometry and a Lge br a , Many of the fellows purposely 

failed to get good &%a

THE .IlIR FORCES NEWS LETTER 

The officers' mess on the RAF station is very 

much different from an officers' club in fbe Air 

Forces, in that the RAF mess is a government institution 

operated by RAF and Woman's Auxiliary Air 

Force personnel. No women are allowed in the mess 

except on special occasions or in the ladies' room 

which • open to officers' wives and guests at certain 

hours. 

Officers' mess buildings are laid out on one 

standard floor plan, the dining room, ante room, 

bar, billiard room, and so forth, having their own 

respective places in every mess throughout the RAF: 

There are a few exceptions to this rule at some of 

the older stations. 

The English officers were most kind to us and as 

generous as anyone could be. They took real pleasure 

in inviting us out and entertaining us in the 

best fashion according to the locality. There was 

nothing too good for us and anything that was theirs 

we could have for the asking. We Americans found 

more in common with the Canadians and Australians 

than with the English, probably, because Canada 

and Australia are more like America than England. 

RAF pilots receive their wings after about six 

months of training, the first half of which is performed 

in a very light biplane of less than 100 

hp. The last half is done is the Harvard, which 

is their name for our Be-I, At the end of this 

training the pilot is sent to an OPerational Training 

Unit, where he undergoes further training before 

entering actual combat. 

In fighter camnend, these pilots do their training 

on either Hurricanes or Spitfires after about 

an hour or two of transition on a Fairey Battle, 

which is a two-seated plane having the same engine 

as the Spitfire. 

In bomber command, the pi lot meets the othe r 

crew members who have just graduated from their 

respective schools and are undergoing their final 

training before going into operations against the 

enemy. 

The OTU I attended was equipped with Wellington 

bombers of which there seem to be more in the RAF 

than any other bombe.r, The Wellington (nicknamed 

Wimpy because of "]. Wellington Wimpy's" middle 

name) is a heavy, two-engined bomber, mounting 

power operated turrets in the nose and tail, and 

capable of carrying 4,500 pounds of bombs. It has 

about the same power as a.B-18, but feels like a 

much heavier aeroplane. 

The pilots are given a few hours of dual instruction 

before being allowed to go solo. Only the 

training planes have dual controls. After the 

pilot has put in a few hours on .circuits and 

bumps" he flies as pilot on training missions for 

the other members of the crew. The observer in the 

RAF does most of the work while on a mission. He 

i. navigator, bomb aimer and photographer, The 

28 

fighter pilots graduating from the OTU are not required 

to know dead reckoning navigation or bombing. 

The training is based on specialization, and 

each man is required to know his job and know it 

well. All crew members are trained in gunnery so 

that in cases of emergency while in action they 

can act as substitutes. 

After some weeks in the OTU, during which time 

all crew members put in time in flying and in 

ground school and synthetic training devices designed 

to simulate actual flight, the students are 

graduated and posted to an operational squadron, 

where they meet the enemy on nightly missions. 

As far as possible in an operational heavy bomber 

squadron each pilot has his own plane, his own combat 

crew and his own ground crew. They always 

work together. 

The morale of the officers and men is very good, 

and they never seem apprehensive about a coming 

sortie. After aquots of operational flights, they 

are taken off of opera tions and given a ground duty 

or sent to an OTU as an instructor for about six 

months before going back on operations. 

Officers of the RAF are allowed 60 days of leave 

a year or about a week in every six weeks. Everyone 

seems to be taking life easy and not complaining 

about what he lacks. Nothing seems to excite 

or perturb him, and there is no question as to 

whom will win the war. 

Fighter O. T. U. 

Final training at an Operational Training Unit 

is an innovation of this war, and takes the place 

of what was known in 1914-18 as the Fighter School. 

Previous to being posted to an O.T.U. the pilots 

have already completed their training at an Initial 

Training Wing and Elementary Flying Training School 

and at a Service Flying Training SchooL. At the 

S.F.T.S. they have been awarded the coveted "Wings." 

They arrive as good pilots, probably a trifle overdisciplined. 

The instructors' work at the Fighter 

O.T.U. is t o turn them into fighter pilots with the 

necessary offensive spirit; disciplined, yet full 

of spirit; careful of nothing and yet-efficient. 

The O.T.U. which we visited is equipped with 

Spitfires as the training mounts, and the pilots, 

after their period of training here, are usually 

posted to squadrons using ~he same type. Other 

O.T.U. 's have, or will have, the job of turning 

out Bur rIcane.,Defiant "Havoc, Beau-fighter, Whirlwind, 

Tornado and Typhoon pilots. What is most 

astounding about the whole system of training, 

from the I.T.W. upwards, is that in a few months 

young men are taken from civil life and taught to 

handle, with the utmost confidence and skill, machines 

which a few years ago would have taken the 

world's speed record in the skilled hands of only 

the most experienced pilots.

THE AIR FORCES NEN'S LETTER 

... 

Generally speaking, the most advanced types the 

embryo filbter pilots have flown before arrival at 

the O.T.U. are North American Harvards and Miles 

Masters. In some cases, however, a few hours on 

early makes of Hurricanes have also been put in. 

The psychological effect of flying the Spitfire 

for the first time is aa great--if not greater 

than--the first solo. For months it has been 

dreamed of, talked about and pondered over. It is 

little wonder that there is aome nervous apprehension 

when at last the day comes and the pupil 

finds himaelf with his hand on the Merlin throttle 

with a blank expanse of aerodrome and sky showing 

through the bulletproof windscreen. 

On a lower scale the transition from a trainer 

to an operational type ia rather like going from a 

pedal cycle to motor bicycle. There is a dreadful 

feeling of being left behind. of being controlled 

instead of controlling, and of arriving everywhere 

IIlUChtoo soon. This last effect is most noticeable 

in the early landings. 

About 90 per cent of the trainint( crashes are due 

to overshooting the aerodrome o. forgetting, in 

the excitement of the moment. to drop the undercarriage. 

The overshooting fault has now been reduced 

to a minimum b:' putting a marker plane in 

the appropriate position on the aerodrome and instructing 

the pupils to make another circuit if 

the wheels are not already on the ground as they 

pass the marker. 

Mental aberrations with undercarriages are cured 

by hours of cockpit drill in jacked-Up planes on 

the tarmac and in the Hawarden Trainer. The Hawarden 

Trainer is a sawn-off fuselage--usually 

salved from a crash--of the type employed by the 

O.T.U .• complete in every respect, including radio. 

From each control electric leads are connected to 

a series of lighted panels at the stub end of the 

fuselage. Thus, for instance, when controls are 

put in Position to raise the undercarriage a lilbt 

appears behind a panel bearing the words "wheels 

up." The instructor takes the place of the ground 

controller and orders passed by radio telephony to 

the pupil are checked agsinst the lights which appear 

as the various controls are brought into play. 

Taking up the whole of the vision in front of 

the machine is a picture of cloud land. Out of 

this come ~nemy aircraft which have to be immediately 

recognized and the reflector sight adjusted 

according to the estimated span of the enemy aircraft 

and the distance from which fire is to be 

opened. 

Frequently a mistake occurs at this stage which 

would certainly not happen in the real thing. The 

pupil, having quickly recognized the type of aircraft 

and altered his gun sight to the appropriate 

aircraft span, then forgets to press the gun trigger. 

This is just one small drawback in otherwise 

completely successful synthetic training. 

29 

Another phase of the training which is of particular 

interest is the employment of 16 Mm. cinecamera-gun 

films. Camera guns, it will be remembered, 

were carried in the leading edges of the 

fighters in the Battle of Britain last autumn. 

Special cuts from the films obtained during the 

air fighting have been pieced together with expert 

comment and excerpts from the original pilots' reports. 

Battles can be fought over and over again, 

perfect shooting practiced, and mistakes pointed 

out. 

As is to be expected in the training of a fighter 

pilot, aerobatics take quite a large share in the 

curriculum. Apart from the obvious advantage of 

being able to put an aeroplane in any position or 

recover from one, confidence in the pilot himself 

and the aeroplane he flies is built up. 

Another new experience for the pilot is highspeed 

low flying. To bat along at "no feet" at 

somewhere over the 350 mark is no ordinary thrill. 

Movement is very perceptible, and excellent judgment 

is required. Over the sea, even when there 

is a fair modicum of height between the aircraft 

and the water, there is always the feeling and the 

visual illusion that the lower wing tip will dig 

in on a turn. So long as sea-level flying remains 

a favorite ruse of the Luftwaffe for getting away. 

low flying will be studied by the Royal Air Force. 

On the station is a Link Trainer, and this has 

been adapted for specialized fighter-pilot training. 

The pilot II flies" entirely by instruments 

and is presumed to be on patrol over a certain 

sector. By radio he is told to fly on such and 

such a bearing to attack an enemy machine in that 

area. On apparent arrival he is given other bearings 

and eventually returns to his base on the 

"homing"device. All these bearings and the dis. 

tance travelled are shown by the path of the"crab" 

of the instrument as it traverses a map on the instructor's 

table. 

Pilots at the O.T.U. enjoy the experience for the 

first time of pressing the button to set eight 

Browning machine guns going in the wings. Air firing 

is a most important feature of the training, 

for it is not until a man is accustomed to the 

racket produced by multiple armament that he can 

make proper use of it. Ai r to ground firing- -otherwise 

known as ground strafing--is carried out, 

paradoxically, over the sea, and while this practice 

is in progress protection patrols of fighters keep 

watch in case Fritz tries to spoil the lesson. 

Cond.n •• d from 'LIGHT 

Q. What signals are displayed to denote that an 

aerodrome is unserviceable? 

A. Several aircraft stuck on their noses in the 

mud and cries of "two no trumps" floating from the 

fIi ght off ices.

THE AIR FORCES NEil'S LETTER 

CARlADIARla ••• (Continued Iro. Pa,e 27) 

Americans maintained very load relations with 

the British airmen, who were from all parts of the 

Empire, No effort was made to selregate the various 

Iroupa, and, as a matter of fact, I was quar, 

tered with 14 Britishers from the Arlentine, all 

of whom were three lenerations removed from Britain 

but had been educated in !nIland. 

Completinl six weeks' instruction I was rated a 

Leadinl Aircraftsman, or student pilot, and was 

sent to'Mt. Hope Elementary Traininl Flying School 

at Hamilton, Ontario. These schools are civilian 

owned and operated but are under air force regulations 

and are commanded by air force officers. 

There we "ere given 60 hours of flight and passed 

final examinations in navigation, airmanship, theory 

of fiight, wireless, air frames (structures), 

engines and armament. Planes used were Fleet 

Finches po~red with Kinner B-5, 125 h.p. radial 

enlihes. It is an excellent little traininl cnft, 

easy to maneuver and it reaUy "aits on a landing," 

I noticed, however, that on h~id days if one 

didn't watch the manifold heat while practicing 

forced landinls, the motor might cut out. 

Instruction I received at Mt. Hope was virtually 

identical to training I had as a flying cadet at 

the Spartan Primary Flyinl School, Tulsa. The 

three months' course of study "as just as thoroulh 

and the percentale of .washouts" just as bad if 

not worse. A student who "ashes out is usually 

sent to an observer or gunnery school if he qualifies. 

On Iraduatinl I was desianated a bomber pilot 

and reported to No. 5 Servic.Tnininl Flyinl 

School, Brant ford , Ontario, where pilots are liven 

two and a half months' traininl on tWin-enline 

Avro-Anson bombers, and advanced courses in meteorololY, 

naviaation, airmanship, wireless and gunnery. 

Avera.e flyinl time before the first solo 

is two and a half hours. 

A medium-sised bomber powered by two 500 h,p. 

radial enline., the Avro-Anson i. still in use in 

Africa and on quieter fronts. 

A.ro.Ansons are called" flyinl Ireenhou ..... be. 

cause of the large windows in the fuselage, which 

i. eatra spacious, the British .acrificinl stream. 

lininl in these planes for equipment space. Inside 

is a larle table for the navilator who also 

has his own air speed and R.P.M. indicators, altimeter 

and P-4 campa... Remainder of the space is 

for radio equipment, bomb and chute racks, and 

back halfway to the t.il is a turret for the air 

aunner. A duor leads to it and, stranlely enoulh, 

the l'JIU1er'•• eat h an ordinary bicycle .addle. 

After about 100 hour. in the bombers the ship 

appear. to be very wuitable for traininl bomber 

pilot.. It is equipped with hydraulic brakes 

manually operated, retractable underearriale, which 

Service flying school differs from our basic 

flying school in that student pilots receive definite 

status as twin-enline or sinlle-enaine flyers 

and are trained as such. I IDilht mention here 

that sinlle-enaine school. use Harvard and Vale 

trainers manufactured by the North American Aircraft 

Co. , and are practically the s.... as the U.S. 

Atmf's basic trainers, the BT-14 and BT-19. It is 

interestinl to note that the fir.t HarYards to arao 

takes 109 turns by hand to wind up, and Fowlerflapa. 

The British lay Ireat stress on the tarmac cheek 

which on the Anson loe. like this: H-T-M-P; hy. 

draulic's "O.K.; .. tab. (flap indicator), "O.K., .. 

mixture control in takeoff pod tian and pitch "O.K. " 

Avro-Ansons do not have pitch air screw nor do 

they have carburetor heat. Following the tarmac 

check you proceed with the instruments and check 

from left to right. The An.on has a cruisinl .peed 

of about 120 mile. per hour, climbs at about 90 

miles and glides at the same speed. Initial landina 

speed is about 60 m.p.h. 

Instruction on the bomber is liven with the instructor 

sittinlon the student's right. Sequences 

in in.truction were takeoffs, landinls, circuit 

flying, medium and steep turns. Instructors placed 

great stress on sinlle engine forced landings and 

the students practiced them constantly. Toulhest 

job in flyinl the An.an is operatinl a.nually the 

undercarriage. The .hip, however, is very stable 

and responds remarkably well for its siae and 

underpower, 

My instructor on the bomber. was a 19-year-old 

&lglishman, Squadron Leader Waterhouse, who had 13 

Germans to his credit and wa. the holder of the 

Distinguished Flying Cross. Rather frail and a 

clerk in civilian life, he had been through the 

Poli.h and Norwelian campaigns as well a. the 

Flanders retreat, Waterhouse, who.e rank corre. 

sponds to that of major in the United State. Army, 

had been sent to Canada for a rest, Pilots remain 

in service in &lgland for .ix month. and are th.n 

shipped somewhere, usuaUy toCanada, to recuperate. 

One day when .. were cominl in for a landinl one 

engine cut out and we almOit hit some farm machinery 

in a field. I thought it would be a nasty 

landing, but we made it all right, After we lot 

out he turned to me and said, "I say, De Rouen, 

this £1yinl is a filthy. racket ... 

After about 10 hours' flyinl on the An.ons, 

.tudent •• tart .010 cross.country trips, one day 

acting a. navilator and the next time as pilot, 

Remainder of the cour.e included cros.-country 

tripi, ni&ht flyinl and a Ireat deal of instrument 

hood flyinl. The Link Trainer course of instruction 

i. very complete, I had 18 hour. on the 

"Link, ..much of which tilDe was spent practicinl 

trianlUlar cro.s -country courses. The "Links" we 

used were equipped with wheel control as we were 

training to be bomber pilots,


.- 

rive in Canada were equipped with French instruments, 

having been made for shipmen, to Franoe be. 

fore that countrv capituljted. 

Part of our instruction included viewing actual 

moving pictures of dogfights and you could see 

tracer fire gain on and finally hit and demolish a 

plane. Most of the enemy planes shot down in the 

filDl!lI saw were Heinkel, twin-engine banbers. 

1he course of training I received in the R.C.A.F. 

is typical of that given every Leading Aircraftsman 

who goes through the Empire training scheme in 

Canada. It lasts about seven months from entry at 

the induction station to graduation, with actual 

flying time a little more than five months. 

Ground courses are very ~thodical and call for 

sound knowledge of the subjects studied before 

candidates are put on operations. Flight instruction 

is excellent and the best of equipment is 

used. During flying courses we flew seven days a 

week, westher permitting, although there was no 

ground school on Saturday or Sunday. Pay, which 

was the least of our worries, was $40 a month before 

flying and $70 s month thereafter. 

A summery of air instruction in Canada and here 

indicates a great deal of similarity. However, 

the British sometimes use different methods to obtain 

the same objective. All airmen, whomever 

they lIIIIy be and there were med>ers of the nobility 

as well as sons of poor families, start from 

scratch. It depends on the individual how far he 

goes. 

Upon grsduation from Brantford we were presented 

the King's Wings by Air Marshal -Billy" BishoP. 

famed flyer of the First World War. That day 30 

per cent of the class was given commissions ss 

pilot officers in the R.C.A.F. They were chosen 

for their excellent records based upon ground 

school and flying record, discipline, bearing and 

neatness, all of which the British take into con. 

sideration in selecting officers. The remaining 

70 per cent became sergeant -pilots with the promise 

that 20 per cent more would be commissioned overseas. 

Ages of the men ranged. from 17 to 31, the 

average being about 23 years. 

Following graduation men are given 15 days' leave 

and on returning become eligible for overseas 

service, go. into coas tal reconnaissance, or. are 

turned back as instructors. Those going overseas 

have not completed their training. Once in Eng- 

'land they go to an Operations Training Unit. Here 

pilots choose their crews and are sent out with 

experienced men on minor operational work along 

the French coast. 

Commissioned a pilot-officer, I was sent as a 

drag pilot to the Bombing and Gunnery School at 

Jarvis, Ontario. Here I dragged sleeve targets on 

600 foot cables for antiaircraft batteries. I did 

expect, however, to get overseas at a later date. 

My chief pleasure st Jarvis wss flying the Fairey 

31 

ATLANTIC FERRY BASES IN MAINE 

Two air bases in the State of Maine for use by 

the Air Corps Ferrying Conmand, one at;Presque Isle 

and the other at Holton, were recently authorized 

by the War Department. Estimated to cost $5,498,- 

000, construction is being deferred pending the 

acquisition of the necesssry land from the cities 

involved. 

Both American and British ferry crews are scheduled 

to be stationed at these two bases, some 229 

officers and 486 enlisted men at Houlton and 469 

officers and 728 enlisted men at Presque Isle. The 

facilities, such as barracks, quarters, warehouses, 

e tc,, will be identical at both bases and along the 

lines d those usually provided at Air Corps bsses. 

As is to be expected, they will feature storage 

space for a large supply of gasoline. 

Six Air Corps construction projects are contemplated 

in the State of Texas, a basic flying school 

at Waco; an advanced twin-engine flying school at 

Lubbock; a flexible gunnery school at Harlingen, 

with a 27,500-acre bombing range in connection 

therewith in the vicinity of Padre Island; an aviation 

mechanics' school at Wichita Falls, and the 

construction of a drainage system and necessary 

grading and paving work st Ellington Field, near 

Houston. 

The site for the school near Waco embraces an 

area cf 1,100 a cres , and the total cost of the project, 

dependent upon satisfactory acquisition of 

the required real estate, is estimated at $4,363,- 

000. Listed among the various buildings included 

in the construction plans are 29 barracks for enlisted 

men and 11 for aviation cadets, 10 administration 

buildings, seven operations buildings, also 

mess halls for officers, enlisted men and cadets, 

recrestion buildings, etc. 

The construction project at Harlingen, which includes 

152 miscellaneous buildings, railroad spurs, 

paving aprons, runways, taxi strips, and various 

utilities, involves a total cost of $4,138,229. 

With the award of a supplemental contract in the 

amount of $7,555,565.49 for the construction of 

barracks, mess halls, hangars and other buildings 

(Continued on Next pe.e) 

Battle dive bombers that had been so useful to the 

British in the fighting over Dunkirk. These planes 

are powered with 1,150 h.p. Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, 

the same engine used by the Spitfires snd 

Hurricanes. Lines of the Fairey conform to the 

Hurricane but sre larger. 

In June I got my orders to repor t for active duty 

as a second lieutenant of Infantry, attached to 

the Army Air Forces. At the present time I am 

Plans and Training Officer for the Three Hundred 

and Fifty-seventh School Squadron at Jefferson 

Barracks, Mo.


fer the school at Wichita Fells, the total cost of 

tIllsproject has been brought up to $12,442,455.88. 

The contract for the construction of the neces- 

;ary temporary buildings and facilities for the 

flying school at Lubbock amounts to $3,973,365.58, 

while the contract for the additional work at 

Ellington Field calls for $1,877,794.85. 

History is repeating itself at Lake Charles, 1& 

During World War 1 days, Gerstner Field, located 

in its vicinity, was the site of an advanced flying 

school for pursuit pilot training. Just recently, 

the War Department awarded a contract in 

the amount of $1,604,236 for the construction of 

an advanced single-engine flying school at Lake 

Otarles, the project including 125 temporary buildings, 

with fencing, railroad spur, roads and the 

necessary utilities. 

Gerstner Fielu was literally torn apart during 

the early part of August, 1918, for it happened to be 

in the path of a violent hurricane. When the Gulf 

storm hit the field, the wind velocity was 80 miles 

per hour. Several hours later, an inspection of 

the wind meter (a whirling anemometer) disclosed 

tha t its bearings had overhea ted and did not register 

higher than 120 miles an hour wind velocity. 

Personnel at the field, imperiled by falling timbers, 

sheet metal roofs, and sundry pieces of flying 

wreckage, managed after a hard struggle to 

reach some gravel cars on a railroad siding back 

of the barracks and there, pelted by the hard driving 

rain, watched the field pass by in review. 

Robbed of their contents by the wind, which neatly 

scooped the sand and gravel and sent it skyward 

the gravel cars started rocking violently, causing 

much apprehension among the refugees. Suffice it 

to say, the hurricane left a scene of utter ruin 

and desolation. 

At Wellston, Ga., about 13 miles south of Macon, 

a depot is to be constructed on a tract of approximately 

2,200 acres. The construction contract, 

amounting to $10,625,654. covers a complete air 

field, 23 industrial buildings, 38 military buildings, 

a sewer system, sewage disposal plant, locomotive 

storage, railroad sidings, and other utilities. 

Vichy, Mo. (not France) will be the site of the 

statior of the 124th Observation Squadron, dependent 

u,on satisfactory acquisition of the real estpte 

involved, some 1,300 acres. Construction of 

the usual necessary buildings are planned. This 

squadron, although under command of the Air Force 

Combat Command, will support the Sixth Division, 

located nearby at Rolla, Mo., by furnishing its 

aerial observation. 

At Muroc Dry Lake, where the ancient sands of a 

prehistoric lake bed provided for a number of years 

target sites for Air Corps bombing and gunnery 

prowess, there is to be constructed an armament and 

instrument inspection and adjustment building at 

32 

an estimated cost of $176,000. This building will 

contain tools and instruments for testing machine 

guns and bomb sights, bomb releases and bomb racks. 

Medium, light, heavy and dive bombers are all used 

at the Muroc bombing range. Targets are built as 

requirements demand or outlined on the ground in 

lime or white paint. 

()l a 52-acre tract of land adjoining Scott Field, 

Ill., a reception center for the Sixth Corps Area 

will be constructed at an estimated cost of $546, . 

000. About 1,000 men will be garrisoned at this 

reception center, where 22 barracks and other necessary 

buildings will be constructed. 

Enid, Okla., will be the site of a basic flying 

school, the contract for construction of 136 miscellaneous 

buildings and utilities involving the 

sum of $3,940,000. 

Due to the sharply increased activities at Bolling 

Field, D.C., occasioned by the transfer there 

of the Air Force Combat Command and a large unit 

of the Maintenance Command, the construction there 

of a post headquarters and operations building at 

an estimated cost of $300,000 was authorized. The 

building will be of cantonment type, occupying approximately 

820,000 cubic feet of space. There will 

be some 3,300 square yards of concrete approaches, 

walks and parking areas. 

For the construction for an air field at Pine 

Camp, N.Y., of housing and miscellaneous facilities 

required1forthe observation squadron in connection 

with the Fourth Armored Division, a contract in the 

sum of $758,500 was awarded. 

The laying of solid, durable roads in a hurry and 

at low cost is a problem which is expected to be 

solved through the introduction of a new type of 

paving material which is being tested at Baer Field, 

Fort Wayne, Indiana. A'soil cement is made from a 

mixture of natural materials and cement, and the 

road can be used almost immediately after paving, 

eliminating the necessity of long-distance hauling 

of sand and gravel. 

If this type of paving proves successful it wilt 

prove invaluable in the laying of airport runways 

and roads at defense bases in the island possessions. 

Soil cement, nearer actual cement than many other 

materials the Army is using, is made by mixing 

cement with soil during a process of plowing, harrowing, 

discing, dragging and then rolling. The 

surface is then sprinkled, covered with straw and 

left to cure for about a week before it is opened 

to traffic. 

Runways being built at Baer Field will have two 

100-foot strips of this soil cement on either side 

of a 100-foot strip of solid cement. Twenty-five 

thousand square feet of road will be put down at 

this field. 

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SUPPLY 

DIVISION 

KNOW YOUR AIR~RAFT



VOL. 24 OCTOBER, 1941 

NO. 16 

CONTENTS 

St.lFJ'(R1' cor.NAl'I)S SIKM' THEIR STUFF • . • . . • • • • . . . . . • . • " . • • . 1 

The Air Forces' Role in the Louis i6119 Mllneuvers 

1HE WIKJm ..0 .. FCR THE EYES

Loulsl ••• Maneuvers End 

Support Commands Show Their Stuff 

By Capt. Joseph S. Edgerton 

• 

AMERiCAN air defense today is stronger and more 

realistic because of the participation of uni ts 

of the Army Air Forces in the recently completed 

Louisiana maneuvers of the Second and Third Armies. 

Here, for the first time, the" task force" idea 

was carried to a logical conclusion with the creation 

of the Second and Third Air Task Forces, to 

support the Second and Third Armies, respectively. 

These task forces, composed of mixed aviation units, 

were organized to provide air activity of whatever 

character might be required to support the work of 

the ground forces. The resulting air-ground teams 

were an American version--not a replica--of the 

famous German "Blitz" teams. They were, in no 

sense, servile copies of foreign developnents. They 

were an American development, created by logical 

processes to meet our own problems but embodying 

the valuable experiences of the belligerents in 

the European wars. 

The maneuvers proved not only the soundness of 

coordinated training and operation of air-ground 

teams, but they also provided a baptism of fire 

for a number of the newest and fastest of American 

warplanes, under actual field conditions, and a 

test of the organization which has been built up 

by the Army Air Forces, the Air Force Combat Command 

and the Air Corps to operate, maintain and 

supply these new and far advanced fighting planes. 

Too Early To Weigh Results 

Although the maneuvers have been concluded, it 

still is too early to accurately weigh the results. 

They will be reflected in improvements in design, 

operation and maintenance of aircraft, perhaps well 

into the future. They will have an influence on 

air and ground training. They will dictate changes 

in comnunications. They will have an important 

bearing on the future of the five Air Support Commands 

which now are in process of organization to 

provide permanent air support for the four Armies 

and the Armored Force. 

It may be well to review at this point comments 

of the various maneuver commanders concerning the 

air or air-ground activities. 

"The bringing together of the Army, Navy and 

Marine Air Squadrons provided valuable experience 

to all in air-ground cooperation. and the vital 

role which aviation plays in the ~li 1itary team," 

Lieut. Gen. Lesley J. McNair, Chief of Staff of 

General Headquarters and maneuver director, said 

in a statement at the close of the Louisiana show. 

"The results obtained were surprisingly effective. 

'Supply services had tremendous problems keeping 

up with the fastmoving situations and they performed 

their job well. 

"GHQ feels that the maneuver was highly successful 

as culmination of a strenuous training program 

and highly beneficial to all ranks of the two 

armies engaged, 

"We can never be entirely satisfied with the 

performance of our troops, but the soldier of 1941 

will give a better account of himself than the 

soldier of any other period in our history." 

-Beyond cri ticism" 

Lieut. Gen. Walter Krueger, commanding general 

of the Third Army, at the conclusion of the first 

phase of the maneuvers, said that coordination of 

ground-air operations "proved to be technically 

beyond criticism and worked with a new speed and 

accuracy. " 

Lieut. Gen. Delos C. Emmons, chief of the Air 

Force Combat Comnand, was a personal observer of 

much of the maneuver activity on the part of both 

armies and both supporting Air Task Forces. In 

summarizing his impressions of the maneuvers, Gene 

ral Enmons said: 

"Air power played an important part in the first 

phase of the very realistic war between the Red 

and Blue armies. I underscore theword 'realistic' 

because this rnak.- :ieve conflict had all the elements 

of real combat conditions short of a 'shooting 

war.' 

"While the mock battles were chiefly staged as 

training courses for high-ranking officers in all 

branches of the Army, I can truly say that everyone 

in the air forces, from senior officers to 

young pilot officers, went through a highly valuable 

course of intense training. Among other 

things, air personnel learned, through actual experience, 

some of the problems of the ground 

forces with whom they were cooperating. Similarly, 

the ground forces were able to see for themselves 

how Army, Navy and Marine Aviation, in the field 

of pursuit, light and medium bombing, can be used 

in cooperation with their own war efforts. 

"The question asked most frequently since the 

first phase of these maneuvers closed is: 'Which 

side won?' 

'My answer is: 'Victory went to those who learned 

1

the most.' 

-This trial war is the largest ever staged in 

this country and it gave military aviation vast 

opportunity to demonstrate its usefulness. About 

850 Army, Navy and Marine Corps planes took part. 

It was a severe test of men and machines and I am 

happy to say that they stood up well under the 

grueling grind of day and night operations, in 

many cases from small airdromes and under emergency 

conditions. 

-In the first phase, these planes flew 40,000 

hours and covered about 8,000,000 miles on between 

3,000 and 4,000 airplane missions. During this 

phase alone, the planes consumed about 4,000,000 

gallons of gasoline. Had they been carrying real 

bombs and firing real bullets, they would have 

dropped some 10,000,000 pounds of bombs and shot 

approximately 7,500,000 rounds of ammunition. 

"There were, it is true, a few accidents and 

some unfortunate fatalities. But considering the 

large scale operation in small fields and the fact 

that many of the pilots have only recently graduated 

from training centers, the accident rate so 

far has been extremely low. 

Improved Technique 

-During the maneuver, members of the Air Force 

also had an opportunity to improve their technique 

in many phases of aerial warfare. For instance, 

the officers and men operating the new secret interceptor 

eonmand radio locaters were ab I e to track 

large numbers of planes for the first time. Operations 

of the air support control and the bomber 

units, wherein liaison officers with ground forces 

ask by radio for aviation support, were also carried 

out under condi tions similar to those of actual 

war-time. The observation units, operating with 

divisions and corps, acted as the eyes of the Army 

and much valuable experience for both ground and 

air units was obtained. 

-Another outstanding experience of this first 

phase was the mass attack by parachute troops. 

Pursuit units were assigned to protect the parachutists, 

while others were ordered to 'destroy' 

the air-borne troops before they could go into action. 

"All in all, there is every reason for the Air 

Force Combat Command to feel pleased with the lessons 

learned in these exerc ise s . We still have 

much to learn, but it is only through simulated 

war conditions such as these that we can test and 

develop tactics and theories for the real thing if 

it should ever come." 

..Splendid Conduct" 

Maj. Gen. Millard F. Harmon, commanding the Second 

Air Task Forces, in a message of congratulations 

to offic~rs and men of the Army, Navy and 

Marine Corps units of his command, praised them 

for -their splendid conduct and high order of discipline." 

He said that leadership in all echelons 

was excellent and missions were conducted in a 

hi ghly e ff ici en t manner and 011 time. Gen. Harmon 

expressed gratification with the work of the service 

command, the engineers, medical and signal 

units and the staffs of the Task Force, Wings and 

Groups. 

"Due to the necessary dispersion of airdromes 

and squadrons wi th the consequen t problems of supply 

of such essentials as food and clothing and the 

handling of a tremendous tonnage of bombs and ammunition 

involved, an efficient, well organized 

service command is an absolute essential for successful 

operations, "General Harmon said. 

'TIle service ceerrnand 0 f the Second Ai r Task Force 

organized and established under the supervision of 

the Third Air Force and commanded by Lieut.Col. 

L.L. Koontz, functioned throughout the maneuver 

with a high degree of efficiency." 

One of the outstanding lessons learned from the 

maneuvers, General Harmon said, is that 'proper 

indoctrination of combat units to insure uniformity 

of method and procedure in tactics and technique 

is most essential in order that orders and directives 

of the commander may be translated into action 

by the combat units." 

• Tb e rnemhe rs of these uni t s should have a full 

concept of the purpose and method intended to insure 

proper execution with a minimum of detailed 

instnlctions," General Harmon explained. 

Pursuit Forces Necessary 

General Harmon also stressed the fact that the 

necessity for security that can only be provided 

by adequate pursuit forces has been 'forcibly emphasized"during 

the maneuvers. 

Speaking of the serviceabili ty of the newer types 

of airplanes used on the maneuver, specifically 

such airplanes as the B-25 medium bomber, the A-20A 

light bomber and the P-39 pursuit, General Harmon 

said; 

'The performance of these planes was very gratifying, 

as was the ability of young and relatively 

inexperienced officers in handling this equipment, 

in taking off, in the air and in landing." 

General Ilarmon emphasized the value of cooperation 

between the Army and NaVy-Marine Corps units 

during the maneuver and said of the Navy and Marine 

Corps personnel that' they are greatly to be admired 

for the adaptability which they have shown 

in functioning with the land components and in 

their willingness to extend themselves to make the 

war games successful from an air standpoint." 

TIle purpose of the Task Forces created for the 

Louisiana maneuvers was explained by Maj. Gen. 

Herbert A. Dargue, commanding the TIlird Air Task 

Force, as follows: 

"What is the TIlird Air Task Force? It is simply 

an organization of air and ground units of the 

Army Air Forces and, more particularly of the Air 

2 

OCTOBER 1941

IN THE FIELD WITH THE ARMY AIR FORCES 

Pictures from the Louisiana" Front" 

TARGETS 

Just before the battle 

BIGWIGS ARRIVE 

General Emmons, General Harmon, Mr. Lovett, 

and General Arnold 

AIRACOBRAS 

AwaitinR "go" signal 

QUICK 

WORK 

This warehouse erected in 11 hours 

OCTOBER 

194f 

AERIAL 

UMPIRES 

They picked the winners 

3 

LEATHERNECK 

One of the Marine planes participating

Force Combat Command, which has been brought to. 

gether to do a particular job. This job is to 

support the Third Army. We are more than an Air 

Force team; we have become part of a team which includes 

all of the other Arms and Services. We are 

still a part, individually and together, of the 

Air Force Combat Command, under the leadership of 

Lieut. Gen. Delos C. Emmons. But, for the time 

being, we are more than that, we are a part of the 

Third Army, commanded byLieut. Gen. Walter 1J"ueger. 

"Ristor ical 

Importance" 

"The combat exercises and the battle problems in 

support of that Army have historical importance. 

These are p~ace-time maneuvers, to be sure, but 

they are conducted under war time conditions. Many 

of us would have liked more time to prepare. But 

war doesn't wait and ask: 'Are you ready?' 

"an the other hand, real war, or maneuvers carried 

out conscientiously under war conditions should 

give you- -and I know that it wi 11 give you the soldier's 

spirit of fighting through everything; of 

overcoming all obstacles by the sheer weight of determination 

to get the job done. It is a task 

which calls for the maximum of enterprise, resourcefulness 

and team work on the part of everyone of 

us." 

The maneuvers in Louisiana are a part of a Sumner 

and Fall series of maneuvers involving units of 

all four of the ground Armies. They were the fi rs t 

maneuvers, however, to involve large-scale air 

participation. The two Air Task Forces set up for 

the Louisiana maneuvers are to be perpetuated long 

enough to take part in the Carolina maneuvers which 

already are getting under way and are to continue 

through December 5. It is hoped to preserve the 

two Task Forces in substantially the same form and 

strength of the Carolina show. 

After participation in these two strenuous and 

extremely realistic air-ground exercises, the units 

composing the two Task Forces are expected to be 

in the pink of condition for any type of field 

service in response to any emergency which may 

arise. 

The Louisiana maneuvers provided a grueling test 

in all kinds of weather of the stamina of planes, 

pilots and maintenance personnel and equipment. 

Handicaps of poor fields, soft runways, lack of 

shelter, very bad weather and a difficult, arduous 

tactical problem gave the combat squadrons a real 

workout. 

Not Bound By Conven tion 

Improvisation played an important part in the 

use of the aviation components, particularly of 

the Third Army. General Dargue refused to be 

bound by convention in his use of the revolutionary 

new types of aircraft available to American combat 

pilots for the first time in maneuvers. CUrtiss 

P-40 pursuit airplanes were employed as dive bombers. 

Sixty-five of them, each carrying a 500- 

4 

pound demolition bomb, played a vital part in the 

smashing of a Red tank attack during a critical 

phase of the maneuvers. The new Bell P-39 Airocobra, 

with its 37-millimeter cannon and battery 

of machine guns, was used freely to strafe mechanized 

ground forces. The new Martin B-26 medium 

bomber, least-known quantity among the new air 

weapons, acquitted itself so well that one of General 

Dargue's staff officers expressed the belief 

that it has "put a new sting in the tail of American 

air defense." The Lockheed.P-38 two-engined 

pursuit, wrote a good record for itself against 

the Louisiana skies. 

The most important use of his aviation components 

by General Krueger was in the canalizing and isolating 

of major portions of the Red forces. After 

the first few hours of the war, the Red and Sabine 

Rivers were converted into virtually impassable 

barriers by the blowing up of permanent bridges 

throughout the maneuver area and the frequent, repeated 

destruction of pontoon bridges. Road bridges 

and defiles were bombed with the most disastrous 

effects upon Red mobility. 

Aviation contributed largely to the successful 

effort tocut off the Reds from their fuel supplies 

and communications. This destruction of supply 

lines contributed materially to the Red defeat in 

the first phase of the maneuvers. 

Conttast 

In Maneuvers 

The contrast between the earlier Arkansas-Louisiana 

maneuvers, in which aviation played no part, 

and the Louisiana maneuvers between the Second and 

Third A~ies. in which aviation was very strong, 

has been striking. During the early maneuvers, 

rivers were treated, and properly so, as merely 

temporary obstacles. They ceased to become obstacles 

just as soon as artillery could be brought 

up, bridgeheads established and secured and pontoon 

bridges constructe~ The whole strategy was based 

upon this concept 01 rivers as nothing more than 

temporary obstacles. 

With the arrival of aviation on the scene, this 

concept was shattered. Commanders of the ground 

forces found to their sorrow that, so long as they 

lacked absolute co~and of the air, rivers were 

barriers nearly as insurmountable as the oceans. 

Repeated and fruitless efforts were made to throw 

pontoon bridges across the Red and Sabine Rivers 

and to maintain them. With disheartening regularity, 

the bombe rs and dive bombers appeared and the 

bridges went out. With them went nuch of the vital 

Red strategy. Parts of the Red strength were operating, 

to all intents andpurposes, Upa1 separated 

islands and could not be effectively united. Then, 

when the vital highway communications also were 

severed, the fate of the highly mechanized Red Army 

was sealed. 

The Third Air Task Force made available to General 

Krueger a total of 447 tactical airplanes, 

(Continued on PaAe 32) 

OCTOBER /9-#/ 

, 

•

---0 - - - 0- ---- 

THE WINGED 

By Oliver Townsend 

THE eyes of the Army- - that's what more than 600 

officer- students of the Aerial Observation School 

at Brooks Field, Texas, will be by the end of 

FY 1942. 

Observer students at Brooks are officers se Iec ted 

from anns and services other than the Air Forces, 

and from among non-flying Air Forces personnel. 

They are chosen by commandirlg officer~ for their 

special attribut~s, su~h as mature judgment, ability 

to think quickly, high sense of duty and determination. 

In Ii cours'e lAsting ten weeks these 

specially-chosen officers are taught how to carry 

out visual and photographic reconnaissance missions, 

and how to work in close conjunction with observation 

pilots of the Air Forces. 

The school is still relatively new, so its quota 

of students is not completely filled at the pr es en t 

time. Under existing plans, two classes of approximately 

100 students each _ill be in training constantly, 

one being graduated every five weeks. 

This means that when the anticipated training rate 

is reached, 200 observers will be stationed continuously 

at Brooks Field. Al though this rate 

probably will not be reached for some time, it is 

expected that mote than 60Q trained observers will 

be produced by the end of FY 1942. 

Qualification requir~ments for students are the 

same as for aviatioo cadets. In other words, each 

.candi da te lllt.I!lt pbssess the ec:luivalentof two years' 

college education and JI1JSt be in Class I physically. 

Reserve and National Guard officers designated for 

aerial observation training are required to accept 

a one-year extension of active duty in order to 

qualify. 

Candidates recommended by commanding officers 

for observation training are appointed in the following 

ratio: 10 per een t , field officers, 24 per 

cent. captains and 66 per cent. lieutenants. Field 

officers JI1Jstbe Regular Army officers, others may 

be members of the Officer~' Reserve Corps or the 

National Cltard. 

IO-Week 

program 

The preliminary ~tage of the 10-week training 

program lasts two weeks. During this time each 

student is given ~oncentrated practice in code 

transmission and the use of aircraft radio for airground 

communication. 

After completion of preliminary instruction each 

student observer is assigned to a pilot. These 

two, throughout the advanced flying phase of the 

OCTOBER f9-if 5 

course, operate as a combat team designed to teach 

both how to work in close eonj unction. In order to 

complete the course successfully each observer 

must spend at least 60 hours in the air as part of 

a combat team. 

Pilots used in the training of aerial observers 

are recently-conmissioned graduates of the Advanced 

Twin-Engine Training School at Brooks Field. A 

plan whereby these pilots are held over at Brooks 

for five weeks prior to being assigned to combat 

units enables the Observer Training School toutilize 

completely-trained officer-pilots as part of 

its combat teams. 

For training purposes combat teams are organized 

into flights--four teams to a flight. Each flight 

is under the personal supervision of a flight 

commander, who, usually a recent graduate of the 

Observer School, assigns students a grade at the 

completion of each day's work. 

In addition to the time spent in the air, the 

advanced portion of the course also includes an 

intensive academic phase. This phase is covered 

in 128 hours of ground school instruction, which 

consists of lectures on subjects of particular 

importance to aerial observers. The most important 

ground school subjects, such as photography, navigation 

and artillery, are taught by speciallyqualified 

instructors who supervise each student's 

progress in the actual performance of flying missions 

after the academic work is completed. 

Co'11:1R.1Oication Stressed 

Also stressed throughout the course is the problem 

of communication, in all its phases. Study in 

this field includes the learning of the International 

Morse code with a speed of 15 words per 

minute, operation of aircraft radio and the use of 

prescribed radio procedure. 

Upon the successful completion of the observer 

training course graduates are returned to their 

old a rrno r service. Henceforth, they remain available 

for assignment to observation squadrons of the 

Air Forces upon the recommendation of commanding 

officers. 

In order to keep up with the latest developments 

in observation technique, Lt. Col. S.T. Smith, 

commanding officer of Brooks Field; Maj. E.8. Underhill, 

director of training, and Maj. R.C. Lindsay, 

assistant director of training, are kept constantly 

advised of such improvements by combat 

units in the field.

The great amount of attention which is given to 

aerial observer training is the result of the extremely 

important role played by aerial reconnaissance 

in modern warfare. It is the principal 

agent by which the commanders of al 1 air and ground 

forces obtain information, and it is the original 

reason for the development of military aeronautics. 

Without it armies are blind. 

Reconnaissance missions, if executed correctly, 

reveal the location of the enemy's forces, show 

activity in the rear of the enemy lines, disclose 

the nature of the terrain 'over the hill," spot 

suitable objectives for artillery and air forces, 

show the results of air attacks and enable commanders 

to follow the progress of the battle. Wi th 

the increasing use of mechanized panzer divisions, 

still another use of aerial observation has developed. 

In fact one of the chief purposes of the 

Brooks school is to train officers in the art of 

speeding up the Army's panzer d'visions through 

direction from the air. 

Reconnaissance Usually Visual 

Air reconnaissance may be executed by either 

visual or photographic means. Usually it is visual, 

but photographs are often used to reveal details 

not visible to the naked eye, and to preserve certain 

scenes for permanent record. Cameras used for 

training purposes are large, not too complicated, 

and are just as efficient in many different types 

of situations. They are designed to take a clear 

photograph from a distance of only a few feet or 

from an altitude of several miles. 

Although most missions are carried out during 

daylight, it is also possible to conduct both visual 

and photographic reconnaissance by night. When 

this is done, flares are used to illuminate the 

objective. These light up an area of about a quarter 

of a mile in diameter when fired from a height 

of approximately 1,000 feet. 

Five principal types of photographs are used in 

carrying out aerial reconnaissance. Each one has 

its own special employment. Simplest of all is 

the "pinpoint," which is a single vertical photograph 

of an objective, procured for the purpose of 

locating the objective with respect to the surrounding 

terrain. Next are the" stereo-pairs," 

which consist of two or more overlapping photos of 

an objective with mrch the same purpose as the pinpoint. 

However ihese give, in a more finished 

form, a greater sense of depth and less distortion. 

The Reconnaissance 

Strip 

For picturing such long, narrow objectives as 

railroads and highways a group of overlapping photographs, 

known as a"reconr.aissance strip," is used. 

\\hen it is desi red to make a photographic map of an 

area, a number of these reconnaissance strips are 

taken and arranged in a series. This makes it possible 

to cover large areas which could not be included 

in the -o the r , more simple, types of photog- 

raphy. 

One of the most common of all types of aerial 

reconnaissance photography is the "oblique." This 

is taken at an angle which reveals depth, size and 

the construction type of the obj ec ti ve much better 

than the other methods. tt is also valuable in 

that it minimizes the effects of camouflage. 

All of the latest techniques developed in connection 

with these methods of photography are 

taught at Brooks Field, this work being under the 

supervision of the Photographic Section. This section 

also turns out about 300 mosaics, 100 pinpoints 

and 100 publicity photographs daily; and 1,500 

student identification pictures every 30 days. 

Operated in conjunction with the Observer Training 

School at Brooks Field is the Advanced T~in- 

Engine Flying School, which includes more than 350 

aviation cadets at the pre.ent time. Here cadets 

who have successfully completed courses in basic 

schools learn the advanced technique of formation 

flying, instrument flying, interception problems 

and day and night cross-country flights. 

Brooks is one of the Army's oldest air fields, 

having been established on December 8, 1917. During 

the World War some flying instru~tors and a 

few combat pilots were trained there. After the 

war it was used as a "lighter-than-air" base for a 

number of years, and in 1922 became a primary flying 

school. In February, 1940, Brooks became a 

sub-base for the Kelly Field Advanced Flying School, 

and was established as an independent advanced 

school on January 1, 1941. 

~----- 

RECORD FLIGHT FROM GEIGER 

Two officers of the Twelfth Reconnaissance Squadron 

(Geiger Field, Spokane) last month established 

two records for flights between the continental 

United States and Alaska. Flying a B-17C, they 

made the first nonstop hop from Spokane to Fairbanks 

and the fastest recorded trip from Anchorage 

to Spokane. 

Maj. Ronald R. Walker, commanding officer of the 

squadron, was pilot. His copilot-navigator was 

Lieut. Harvard W. Powell. They flew from Spnkane 

to Fairbanks in slightly more than 11 hours, bucking 

headwinds up the Alaskan coast. The Anchorage- 

Spokane hop took 7 hours 15 minutes, although no 

attempt was made to push the ship beyond normal 

cruising. 

The crew included Tech. Sgt. John B. Crouse, 

Staff Sgt. J. Gordon Drake, Sgt. John Parker and 

Pvt. First Class Cecil R. He rrnan. Others aboard 

were members of a group which was making an inspection 

of Alaskan airports. 

6 

OCTOBER 

r9-f.r

Air OperadoDs In Alaska 

By Lieut. John C. A. lVatkln8 

A 

NY air base where a soldier may spend his offduty 

hours prospectin~ for and actually finding 

gold--or where he might saunter out after supper 

and shoot a moose--certainly is an air base with 

some definite attractions. 

There are such Arm~ Air Forces stations--in 

Alaska, which has been a part of the United States 

for so long that it cartnot accurately be described 

as a -new base" but which has become recently, for 

obvious reasons, one of the nation's new military 

frontiers. 

Soldiers stationed at the ne~ fields there really 

are finding gold in their off-duty hours (not all 

of them, but some; not much, but a little) and the 

statement about bagging a moose after supper 

wouldn't be very much of an exaggeration were it 

not for a local policy which prevents the troops 

on duty in the tetritory from enjoying a very 

large share in some of the best hunting in the 

world. 

Looking at it from all ahgles, it would be possible 

to claim, with so.e justification, that 

soldiers stationed 8 t a p1a~e where fresh eucumbe rs 

cost 39~ each, and a bowl of chili 7St, might feel 

it necessary to sperld ~ll their spare time looking 

for gold. There isno question about the attractiveness 

of certain phases 01 duty in Alaska, but 

neither is there m~ch doubt that it is the most 

expensive place under the ~ericah flag where an 

Air Forces officer or ~nlisted man could be stationed. 

A group of officers from A.A.F. headquarters, in 

Washington, stopped in .Fairb~~ks testaurant while 

on a recent inspection trip thtough the territory. 

While they were eating (no CUcUmbers), a man came 

up, introduced himself and said that he had been a 

carpenter at Ladd #ield, he~r the little inland 

mining town. He had ~uit, however, because he 

wasn't making enough moneYI No future in it. 

Thereupon a brash ybung se~ond lieutenant in the 

group asked him jus~ how rnoch he had been making. 

'Oh, $85 a week,dtht! local citizen replied in 

an off-hand manner, tossing a handful of silver 

dollars down and ordering ~ round of the best for 

the gen t1ernen. 

Two typical stations to which our personnel may 

be assigned are Ladd Field, which is about 150 

miles south of the Arctic Circle, and just as cold, 

and Elmendorf Field, at Fort Richardson near the 

little seaport of Anchorage, just about as far 

OCTOBER r9-f.r 7 

south and down below a chain of mountains which includes 

historic and magnificent Mount McKinley. 

Saying that Elmendor f Field is part of Fort Richardson 

seems to the casual observer like saying that 

the dog is part of his tail, since the air base is 

very large and dominates the whole station, but 

that's the official designation. 

The two fields, one very cold and one with a 

fairly mild climate--comparatively speaking--have 

a great many things in common. 

Ladd Field is a cold weather experimental station 

for the Army Air Forces, commanded by Lieut. 

Col. Dale V. Gaffney, and for this reason, duty 

there differs in some respects from duty elsewhere 

in Alaska. Comparing it broadly to Elmendorf, it 

is a much more attractive post. It has permanent 

quarters for its enlisted men, as compared to the 

typical cantonment-type barracks at the field 

farther south, and a few permanent and, on the inside, 

very attractive quarters for married and 

bachelor officers. There are not enough of these 

to go around, however, and many of the officers 

who bring their wives to Alaska (at their own expense, 

although it is a three-year tour) must pay 

stiff prices for houses oropartments in Fairbanks. 

Ladd is situated in the middle of what appears 

to be a glacial plain. In fact, a glacial stream, 

or slough, meanders through the reservation. Mile.s 

away, snow-covered mountains may be seen on clear 

days, but most < '-", territory around the field is 

fairly flat and covered with a thick growth of 

aspens and evergreens. The ground consists of a 

surface of mu3keg--a mattress-like, thick, springy 

mass of vegetation which probably will be peat in 

another 1,000 years or so--with gravel and ice 

underneath. Ice is everywhere beneath a few feet 

of muskeg and gravel, and the trees consequently 

wither and die when their roots have passed down 

through this areable blanket. The result is that 

the expanse of woods is a vast patchwork of yellow 

and green from the air, with the dying trees toppling 

over when they reach a certain growth and 

the muskeg no longer is able to bear their weight 

and pulls loose from the gravel beneath. 

'Summer"extends from late May until late 

September, with the temperature averaging around 

65 degrees. The days are fairly warm, but a 

blouse or jacket usually is necessary in the evenings 

and early mornings. During the winter, the 

temperature has dropped as low as 70 degrees below

zero, although the average is said to be around 

20 degrees below. There isn't a "great deal" of 

snow--about eight inches on the ground all the 

time. The weather usually is fine--a clear, dry 

cold--and flying is practicable virtually the 

year around. There are close to 24 hours of daylight 

in June, 24 hours of darkness in December. 

A midnight summer baseball game is not uncommon. 

Living 

Expensive 

The place is expensive, wi thout any question. For 

instance, there are no laundry facilities on the 

post, and the civilian laundries in Fairbanks 

charge an average of 35~ to wash a shirt, 15~ for 

a pair of socks, 10~ for a handkerchief. This 

latter is particularly ridiculous when one recalls 

that handkerchiefs cost only 4~ each, new, at the 

commissary. The dry cleaners in town charge $2.50 

to clean and press a uniform or a two-piece civilian 

suit, $1.25 for a pair of slacks or a blouse. 

An enlisted man on the post does some cleaning and 

pressing, but his capacity is limited. A very 

plain, quick haircut at a town barbershop costs $1 

and the mind won't stand the shock of knowing the 

price of a shampoo. 

Recreational facilities, while lavish compared 

to such outposts as Newfoundland, are only fair 

and largely what were there before the army arrived. 

There are two motion picture theaters in town, 

four miles away, which show fairly recent films. 

There are also bowling all~ys (at 25~ a line) and 

pool halls. An Army Motion Picture Service theater 

is operated in a temporary building on the 

post, showing somewhat hoary films (permanent 

facilities in the combined theater-barracks-hospital-post 

exchange should be in use by this time) 

and there is one tennis court. A gymnasium is 

needed, because during the winter the temperatures 

frequently get too low to permit the men to stay 

outdoors very long at a time. 

Hunting is wonderful, for such game as moose, 

bears of several kinds and degrees of ferocity, 

ducks, grouse and ptarmigan. Nearly all can be 

found within a short distance of the post. Unfortunately, 

financially it is practically impossible 

for an enlisted man (or young officer with a 

family) to do any hunting legally, because of the 

restrictions. The territorial game commission has 

ruled (the chief of the Alaskan Defense Command is 

contesting this legally at present) that soldiers 

can't have resident licenses, which are only SI, 

although they are assigned to the station for three 

year or "duration" tours. Instead, if they want 

to hunt at all they must pay SII for a visitor's 

permi t to bag duck and grou se , S50 for bi g game 

such as.hear and moose. Most of the local civilians 

feel that the men are being discriminated 

against and attribute the commission's attitude 

to pressure from the powerful organization of 

guides, who, by law, must accompany every visiting 

sportsman. 

Housing facilities in Fairbanks are limited, expensive 

and quite ordinary. Married officers living 

in town (as most must) pay about S65 for an 

unfurnished, one-room, kitchenette and bath apartment. 

Electricity runs about S15 a month more, 

wi th heat bringing the total to about S100 a month. 

Larger quarters are proportionately more expensive. 

Some of the apartments are pretty crude, but the 

pri~es are high regardles~. 

GOod F~od Assortment 

Military personnel can get a good assortment of 

fresh vegetables and meats at the commissary at 

reasonable prices. This is fortunate, since no officer 

with an average family could afford to feed 

them on his pay if he had to buy his fresh foods 

in town. Cucumbers at 39~ each are an example, 

not an exception; fresh peaches are almost worth 

their weight in gold. 

Outside. of the prices, Fairbanks is a fairly 

attractive little town, with about 3,500 people. 

Placer gold mines a few miles outside the community 

provide it with its principal source of income. 

There are well-stocked, modern drug stores 

and clothing stores, fairly good restaurants (which 

serve excellent steaks and chops even if they do 

charge 75t for an Be canof chili) and good schools. 

The University of Alaska is situated a few miles 

outside town, and has a good reputation. There is 

a small daily paper (10~ per copy), a handsome 

Federal building, a good hotel and one or two paved 

streets. 

Air Forces officers assigned either to Ladd or 

Elmendo rf Field should bring wi th them the ordinary 

personal equipment, such as a.D. woolen uniforms 

(no cotton clothing can be worn), shirts and the 

like. About the only special clothing needed is 

woolen underwear and socks. The rest of the winter 

clothing required for daily life in such a climate 

as Ladd's is rssu ed at the field. Heavy shoes, 

such as the G.1. field shoe, are desirable because 

the roads and walks are glacial gravel and hard on 

footgear. 

Elmendorf Field is a much bigger establishment, 

commanded by Col. J.L. navidson, and is "on" a 

large post, at which are stationed a great many 

soldiers of many different arms and services. 

Fort Richardson is headquarters of the Alaskan Defense 

Command, which is commanded by a ground officer, 

and the Air Forces personnel stationed 

there are considerably outnumbered by ground troops. 

Conditions therefore are somewhat different from 

those at.Ladd Field, where the senior Air Forces 

officer is in complete charge at least of all he 

surveys. 

Elmendorf Field is about three and-a-half miles 

from Anchorage, which is a community of about 3,000 

persons normally. The cost of living in Anchorage 

8 

OCTOBER /94/


is about the same as in Fairbanks, but the latter 

is amuch more attractive community. There is only 

one theater in Anchorage, which doesn't begin to 

accommodate its patrons, but there are literally 

dozens of saloons and other establishments of varying 

degrees of quality and respectability. 

The laundry si tuation is even worse than in Fairbanks, 

although the prices are about the same. In 

Anchorage the laundries have more work than they 

can handle and they are consequently pretty independent. 

For example, the quartermaster at Fort 

Richardson couldn't get one of them t~ accept a 

contract to launder the men's sheets and pillow 

cases. There is a building available on the post 

for a quartermaster laundry and dry cleaning plant, 

but the equipment is not available. The result is 

that, like in Newfoundland, one of the toughest 

problems an enlisted man, or even an officer, faces 

is simply the problem of trying to keep clean. 

Wives may be brought to Elmendorf Field, too, but 

at the husband's expense and with practically no 

chance of quarters being furnished. There are a 

few sets of quarters being prepared for the commanding 

officers of various units stationed on the 

post, but other married officers must find places 

to live in Anchorage, or leave their wives in the 

States. There are some apartments in town available 

at prices comparing to those in Fairbanks, 

but many officers are building their own houses 

with FHA assistance. 

The cffiltonmenttype quarters for bachelor officers, 

and officers who left their wives behind, 

are crude and hard to keep clean. As is the case 

at many large cantonments in the States, there is 

a lot of dust and dirt flying through the air. The 

atmosphere of the place is as drab as it is dirty. 

Some units have attempted to brighten up their barracks 

by planting little evergreen trees around 

the buildings, but the general impression of the 

still-unfinished reservation isn't particularly 

pleasant. 

Country 

Is Beautiful 

The surrounding country, however, is beautiful. 

Great mountains tower above the post on all sides-- 

some only a few miles away, some snow-covered 

peaks glistening rosily under the sun SO or 100 

miles from the reservation. A wild stream, said 

to be full of trout, tumbles noisily along the 

edge of the post. The fertile Matanuska Valley, 

where the "dust bowl refugees" were settled, is 

only about SO miles away, and great woods are 

nearby. 

The enlisted men have formed a -Gold Seekers' 

Club' and actually have staked claims and taken 

gold out of the ground. They play football with 

other post teams and with Anchorage, and participate 

in other sports. At the present time they are 

building, with their own hands and under the guidance 

of Maj. M.R. Marston, A.A.F. morale officer, 

and Lieut. Ralph K. Wheeler, A.A.F. chaplain, log 

recreation buildings both on the post and in Anchorage, 

on land donated by patriotic residents. Elmendorf 

Field has a small motion picture theater, 

accommodating about 300 men at one showing, and 

there is a larger post theater for the entire 

garrison. There is also a recreation hall with a 

library and ping pong tables, but bare of easy 

chairs, sofas and other comfortable, home-like 

furniture. The officers' club also is small, 

sparse ly furnished and inadequate for the gar rison. 

One of the major obstacles to satisfactory living 

conditions, for either officers or enlisted men, 

is the transporta tion bot tleneck. Transportat ion 

facilities are limited both by nature and general 

conditions, and it is extremely difficult to get 

enough furniture or supplies shipped in to be 

comfortable. 

Except by air, the only way to get out of Fairbanks 

is by the Alaska Railroad, a single-track 

line which takes its time and charges pretty high 

rates, and the Richardson Highway, an engineering 

feat which, unfortunately, closes around October 1. 

Traffic between Anchorage and the States, again 

excepting air travel, is limited tothe water-borne, 

and the service is limited. Personal belongings 

of literally hundreds of army people stationed in 

Alaska are stacked up on Seattle piers awaiting 

transportation-oat premium rates. 

Otherwise, conditions at Elmendorf are about the 

same as they are at Ladd Field, from the standpoint 

of living, sports and duty. While many of the 

married officers and practically all of the married 

enlisted men can't afford to bring their wives 

along and don't care much for the idea of being 

separated from them for two or three years, they 

say generally that they like duty in Alaska. Many 

hope to stay there when they retire. Miny, but by 

no means a majority. 

Three of the four bomber commands were assi~ed 

commanding generals last month. Brig. Gen. Arnold 

N. Krogstad was selected to head the First Bomber 

Command, First Air Force, at Langley Field, Va. 

Bri g. Gen. John B. Brooks wi 11 command the Second 

Bomber Cbmmand, attached to the Second Air Force, 

at Fort George G. Wright, Washington. 

Brig. Gen. Follett Bradley has been designated 

commanding officer of the Third Bomber Command, 

Third Air Force, Drew Field, Florida. The assignments 

leave unfilled the post of chief of the Fourth 

Bomber Conmand, of the Fourth Air Force, which will 

have its headquarters at Tucson, Arizona. 

• 

Maj. Gen. Gerald C. Brant, commanding officer of 

the Gulf Coast Training Center at Randolph Field 

for the past year, was assigned last month to command 

the Newfoundland Base Command. 

9 

OCTOBER 19~1

,",OHN '"'. PERSHING 

WASHINGTON 

September 18, 1941. 

Brigadier General Muir S. Fairchild, 

Assistant Chief of the Air Corps, 

War Department, 

Washi~ton, D. C. 

My dear General Fairohild: 

To the Air Corps, through you, 

permi t me to extend my warmest thanks for the 

oordial birthd., greetings your kind letter 

conveyed. I appreciated deeply the friendly 

thoucht of me, and seize this opportunity to 

send to all JII1' heartiest good wishes.

furways 

.1 rarnc \.JUIIUUI 

AERIAL TRAFFIC COPS GET TOGETHE'R 

By Major A. B. McMullen 

THE War, Navy and Commerce Departments, (the 

latter including the Civil Aeronautics Board 

and the Civil Aeronautics Administration) recently 

indicated the ir interest and concern over air traffic 

by the joint establishment of the Interdepartmental 

Air Traffic Control Board. 

Each agency has one member on this Board. Mr. 

Earl Ward represents the Civil Aeronautics Administration, 

Mr. E. N. Ellington the Civil Aeronautics 

Board, Lieut. Comdr. John C. Crommelin the 

Navy Department. The writer represents the War 

Department --and at the present time is Cha Lrman of 

the Board. 

The Board has no executive authority. It acts 

as a clearing house for not only air traffic problems 

but reviews applications and makes recommendations 

with respect to the use of the navigable 

air space by other activities-osuch as artillery 

firing training areas, searchlight and barrage 

balloon training areas, the location of aerial 

bombing and gunnery ranges, flight training 

fields, etc. 

During the recent expansion of the Army Air 

Forces, tactical or training units have been located 

on Municipal or Civil Airports, many of 

which were airline terminals already faced with 

serious traffic problems. 

P-39's And Clbs Don't Mix 

The officials responsible for the location of 

these military units on civil airports realize the 

fact that 300 MPH bombers and 400 MPH pursuit 

planes cannot operate safely or efficiently from 

fields also used by small aircraft of the Cub and 

Aeronca class. Additional airports are, therefore, 

being constructed largely with Federal funds 

in these communities for private and commercial 

flying. This procedure confirms an opinion I have 

had for many years, namely, that more--properly 

placed and better designed--airports would lessen 

the need for regulations governing air traffic. 

The air carriers and some non-scheduled civil 

aircraft will, however, continue to utilize most 

of these jointly occupied airports and it has become 

necessary to provide a satisfactory means for 

directing both civil and military traffic on--and 

in the vicinity of--these air terminals. 

At firs t g lance this wou Id not appear to present 

any unusual problems, but War Department 

regulations and the principles of military command 

OCTOBER /9-11 11 

prohibit the commanding officer at these stations 

from delegating the responsibility for the safety 

and operation of the planes in his command to an 

employee of another department--particularly a 

civil agency not familiar with the problems peculiar 

to military aircraft operation. Therefore, 

both military and Civil Aeronautics Administration 

airport control personnel will be employed in the 

same towers at these jointly occupied airports. 

Airports Join Federal Network 

The eM and the Air Corps are assuming the responsibility 

for the operation of air traffic control 

towers at 39 municipal airports as rapidly 

as personne 1 and equipment can be obtained. Thus 

a precedent has been established and the welding 

of airport and airway traffic control with the 

operation of both by the Federal Government has 

taken a big step forward. Only those civil air. 

ports that are occupied by Army or Navy tactical 

or training units will be taken into the Federally 

operated network at the present time. 

Except during a military emergency determined by 

the station commander, the Senior CAA Operator 

will be in charge of the control of all traffic in 

the airport control zone. When both civil and 

military aircraft are involved, the CAA operator 

will issue instructions to Army or Navy aircraft 

only after consultation with the service operator. 

Normally, Army and Navy tower operators will not 

issue instruction~ to civil aircraft--and in no 

case will Inst r.. ~ons be issued to civil aircraft 

by service tower operators unless they hold a CAA 

-Air Traffic Control Operator Certificate." 

The commanding officer of the Air Forces station 

may assume complete control and supervision 

of the airport traffic control tower and all air 

traffic within the airport control zone when the 

mil itary s Huat ion demands such act ion. When such 

control is assumed, the commanding officer shall 

assume full responsibility for the safety of all 

air traffic in the airport control zone. During 

such periods, the eM control tower operator shall 

~irect civil air traffic as requested by the commanding 

officer. 

Conditions To Be Determined 

Just what military situations may arise which 

will require the commanding officer to assume control 

of air traffic in the vicinity of the airport 

no one can predict at the present time. It is 

possible that all traffic in the vicinity of the

airport might have to give way to a group of pursuit 

planes which had exhausted most of their comparatively 

limited supply of gasoline before arriving 

at the airport, or it might be necessary 

temporarily to clear the landing area to permit 

the landing or take-off of one or more military 

aircraft executing a mission of particular importance 

to our National Defense. 

The recent Army maneuvers in Louisiana and adj01n1ng 

states developed a situation which foreshadows 

many air traff ic problems that may be expected 

as the Army and Navy Air Forces are 

increased, and should the present emergency become 

more acu~e. The combined air forces of the Second 

and Third Armies participating in these maneuvers 

included approximately 900 airplanes of all types. 

These planes were conducting missions in all types 

of weather and during the hours of darkness without 

lights, without flight plan, and at all altitudes. 

As a result, following recommendations of 

the lATCH. scheduled air carrier operations by 

Chicago and Southern, Eastern and Delta Air Lines 

were suspended by the CM in the maneuver area except 

during daylight, and under contact flight 

rules. 

The area involved covered approximately 130,000 

square miles and roughly included the territory 

within and south of a line from Houston, Texas, to 

Dallas. Texas,--thence, eastward to Greenwood. 

Mississippi,--thence, south to Mobile, Alabama. 

This area was designated as a temporary danger 

area by the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics; 

and all civil aircraft, in addition to the air 

carriers were advised to restrict their operations 

in this area. 

Air Line Schedules Rerouted 

Similar Army maneuvers will be held in North and 

South Carolina during the latter part of November. 

A plan has already been approved authorizing Eastern 

Air Lines and Delta Air Lines to reroute their 

schedules to other airways and in some cases leave 

the established airways ent irely dur ing the hours 

of darkness and during instrument weather in such 

a manner that these schedules will not cross the 

maneuver area. 

The cooperation of the airlines during these 

maneuvers has been excellent, and it is hoped that 

private flying will be as ready to assist the War 

and Navy Departments in working out solutions to 

similar problems where the Nat ional Defense or 

training programs require such action. 

This month private flyers 1n the states bordering 

on the Atlantic Seaboard from Maine to North 

Carolina are having an opportunity to demonstrate 

their ability and willingness to cooperate with 

the military authorities in problems of National 

Defense. 

I refer to the maneuvers being conducted by the 

First Interceptor Command. During these maneu- 

12 

vers, actual war conditions are being simulated as 

closely as possible. Pursuit aircraft and antiaircraft 

artillery are assigned the task of driving 

off -hostile bomber~ aircraft which simulate 

attacks on important cities and other objectives 

within 150 miles of the Atlantic Coast. 

The recently developed warning network in this 

area is getting an opportunity to prove its efficiency, 

and observers are expected to report the 

approximate altitude, direction of flight and 

other pertinent information concerning every aircraft 

seen flying over the maneuver area during 

this period. 

Special Traffic Control 

No Army, Navy or Coast Guard aircraft is making 

a flight beyond ten miles from the airport from 

which take -off is made dur i ng maneuvers unless a 

flight plan has been approved by the local operations 

office and submitted to the nearest Air 

Corps Information Center. These information or 

filter centers are established at Boston, New 

York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and Harrisburg. 

All civil pilots based in the maneuver area are 

requested to cooperate by filing similar flight 

plans with the manager of the airport where takeoff 

is made. The airport manager will in turn 

telegraph or radio the information concerning the 

proposed flight to the nearest Information Center. 

With complete information available in each Information 

Center it will be possible to identify 

friendly or hostile aircraft quickly, and thereby 

conserve the use of pursuit aircraft on interception 

missions. 

The manner in which private and commercial 

pilots demonstrate their ability to cooperate with 

government officials and carry out instructions 

during these maneuvers mayo-to a large extent--determine 

the condi, ions under which civil aircraft 

will be required to operate in a real emergency. 

While many of the changes in traffic control procedures 

recently inaugurated have "resulted in further 

restrictions to civil aircraft, one change 

has taken place which (temporarily--at least) will 

remove some of these restrictions to which all 

pilots have been subjected. I refer to Air Space 

Reservations and Danger Areas which have been established 

over arsenals, munitions depots, torpedo 

plants and other types of high explosive activities. 

Danger Area Policy Changed 

These Danger Areas were intended--up until a few 

weeks ago--to prevent flight of aircraft over HI-X 

areas and the possibility that objects might be 

dropped from them or that they might fall or make 

forced landings on or within these areas. With 

the advent of the present war, the danger from 

subversive elements and sabotage to high explosive 

and military establishments became greater than 

OCTOBER /94/

the danger from aircraft falling or dropping objects 

on these establishmants. 

The Navy Department has, therefore, abandoned 

the policy of designating air space reservations 

or danger areas over high explosive areas, and has 

recommended that previously designated areas of 

this type be discontinued. It is believed the War 

Department will adopt the same policy. 

In this connection, it is interesting to note, 

however, that many danger areas have recently been 

--and it is reasonable to assume that many more 

will be--established. These areas, however, will 

be established as a means of protecting or warning 

aircraft in flight rather than protecting activities 

or facilities on the ground from aircraft. 

These new danger areas are being established over 

artillery firing ranges, aerial gunnery and bombing 

ranges, searchlight and barrage balloon training 

areas, congested training areas, etc. In 

other words, these danger areas may be defined as 

the air space above a designated area on the 

grouRd wherein the pilot, in entering, subjects 

himse If and plane to unnecessar y risk but does not 

greatly endanger the National Defense. 

You might reasonably ask what is being done to 

protect high explosive plants, munitions depots 

and fortifications from subversive activities and 

sabotage by persons utilizing aircraft. The danger, 

of course, is reasonable, and I can assure 

you that the War, Navy, Justice and Commerce Departments--as 

well as the Office of Civilian Defense--are 

giving this problem considerable study. 

New Control Method R.c~nded 

The Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control Board 

in a recent report recommended that a more rigid 

control of non-scheduled civil flying be placed in 

effect as the most effective means of accomplishing 

this objective. 

It was recommended that: 

1. Within the limitations of constitutional 

authority all airports and landing areas be required 

to obtain a certificate of public convenience 

and necessity from the Civil Aeronautics 

Authority as I condition precedent to their operation, 

and that in issuing airport certificates 

particular attention be given to the qualificat 

ions of airport management persoone 1. 

2. The Civil Aeronautics Board prepare regulations 

to be placed in effect, when necessary, by 

the Civil Aeronaut ics Administration governing the 

control of all non-scheduled civil flying by requiring 

individual flight authorization, from an 

airport llllnageror his author !zed representat ive, 

similar to Air Corps departure and arrival reports. 

3. The fingerprinting of all licensed airmen 

and the investigation of each place owner and pilot 

by a law enforcement agency to determine na- 

tionality, place of birth, crl~in.l record (if 

any), etc. 

The Interdepartmental Boerd realizes ~he importance 

of a large civil aviation reserve of plane., 

pilots and aircraft factories to the National Defense 

and will assist the industry in every manner 

possible in working out its many problems during 

the present or any future emergencies. However, 

conditions chall!terapidly from day to day, and the 

civil pilot and plane owner must be prepared to 

adapt himself to new regulations and restrictions 

should they become necessary. 

Long R~. PrOiram Planned 

From what I have sa id, you may have gathered the 

impression that regulations, restrictions and more 

regulat ions are the only means by which the var i- 

our Departments of Government are attempting to 

cope with the problems of air traffic control. 

.. 

This is not the case, for during the past five 

years at least one Department (the Airport Divis 

ion of the CAA, Department of COlllDerce, of which 

I was formerly Chief) has been preparing long 

range, nation-wide airport and airway development 

plans, and airport layout plans of all types. In 

preparing these plans, the safe and efficient flow 

of air traffic has been a deciding factor. 

The War Department has. indicated its interest in 

civil aviation and the coordination of military 

and civil air traffic by appointing a representative 

on the Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control 

Board, and the creation of the Civil Aeronautics 

Section within the Air Staff of the Headquarters 

of the Army Air Forces. 

Another important move to relieve the restrictions 

imposed on airports am pr ivate flying within 

the limits of civil airways in the vicinity of 

radio range stations and control airports, while 

at the same time increasing the safety of through 

traffic, has recently been made by the CAA upon 

the recommendat'-,s of the Interdepartmental Air 

Traffic Control Board, This plan provides for the 

establishment of a -Range Approach Channel- four 

miles wide (two miles each side of the center line 

of the oncourse signal of the range) for a distance 

of 15 miles from the radio station. This in 

effect means that the airways have been narrowed 

from 20 miles to four miles along this 15 mile 

section. 

Length Depends en Terrain 

It is realized that training or other flying 

activities--terrain, etc., may require the establishment 

of a Range Approach Channel IDOre than 15 

miles in length in some localities to provide 

space for local flying activities. This will be 

done where necessary, upon the recommemations of 

the Regional eM Managers and the approval of the 

Administrator of Civil Aeronautics, after clearance 

by the Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control 

(Continued to Page 34, Col. I) 

OCTOBER 19# 

13

The New 8-17E, Latest Flying Fortress 

Six new types of aircraft, ranging from a heavy 

bomber to three different makes of" flying flivvers" 

of the sport type, are undergoing tests by 

Air Corps engineers, headquarters of the Army Air 

Forces announced during the past month. 

Most important of the new models is the B-17E, 

latest version of the "Flying Fortress." Under 

present plans the B-17E will be turned out in mass 

production by three manufacturers--Boeing, Douglas 

and Vega. 

The new 8-l7E is approximately five feet longer 

and has greater gross weight and firepower than 

earlier models of the four-engined bomber. Power 

turrets both on the top and bottom of the fuselage 

and a stinger turret in the tail provide for resistance 

to attack from any direction. Enlarged 

horizontal and vertical tail surfaces make possible 

the increased size and weight. 

TWo New Cargo Planes 

Two other new planes are the C-47, heavy cargo 

plane and the C-53, designed to carry a light 

cargo. Both are manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft 

Company. They are low-wing, all-metal monoplanes 

each equipped with two 1,200 horsepower 

Pratt and Whitney engines and capable of carrying 

28 soldiers in addition to a crew of three. 

Other recently-delivered Army airplanes are the 

YO-57, YO-58 and YO-59, all observation models. 

Each of these is powered by a single four-cylinder 

Continental motor developing 65 horsepower. All 

three are being tested for use as liaison ships 

for use in connection with ground units. The YO-57 

is manufactured by the Tay Jorc ra f t Aviation Corpora- 

14 

The 0-59 Observation Plane 

tion, the YO-58 by the Aeronca Aircraft COrporation 

and the ¥a-59 by the Piper Aircraft Corporation. 

Another In P-40 Series 

Also undergoing Air Corps tests at the present 

time is the latest model in the P-40 series--the 

P-40F. This plane, manufactured by the Outiss- 

Wright Corporation, is powered with a Rolls Royce 

"Merlin" engine. It is similar in appearance to 

the other planes of the P-40 series, all of which 

are powered wi th All ison engines. 

The "Merlin" which will be used in the P-40F is 

a 12-cylinder V-type, liquid-cooled engine capable 

of developing 1,105 horsepower at an altitude of 

more than 20,000 feet. The plane itself will be 

heavily armored, will carry heavy firepower and 

will be equipped with leak-proof fuel tanks. 

OCTOBER 

19fT

.. 

An Equipment 

Review 

GERMAN AIRCRAFT AND ENGINES ANALYZED 

THE 

ME - 110 FIGHTER 

THE DB-601A ENGINE 

A thoroughgoing, detailed analysis of a captured 

Messerschmitt ME-IIO pursuit plane, one of the 

mainstays of the fighter arm of the Luftwaffe, has 

just been completed by the Vul tee Aircraft Companv. 

This airplane, shot down over England late in 1940, 

reached the United States last April. Despite a 

crash landing, it suffered comparatively little 

damage. R.W. Palmer, vice president of Vultee, 

prepared the following report on the ship. 

The ME-110 is a twin-engined, low-wing all-metal 

three place land monoplane primarily designed as a 

fast multi-place fighter but readily adapted to 

light bombing and attack missions. The crew consists 

of a pilot, a radio operator-navigator and a 

rear gunner. The airplane weighs approximately 

15,300 pounds fully loaded, has a wing span of 53 

feet 4 inches, a length of 40 feet 6 inches and a 

wing area of 414 square feet. The high speed of 

the airplane is reported at 365 miles per hour, 

while the cruising range is 565 miles at 301 miles 

per hour. Power is supplied by two Daimler-Benz 

engines developing 1,050 horsepower each. 

It was not surprising to find that German ingenuity 

had developed a design admirably suited to 

mass production and manufactured with excellent 

workmanship, although reports of shoddy construction 

were fairly prevalent. This has been done at 

little sacrifice of weight or aerodynamic efficiency. 

Sub-Assembly Time Reduced 

The air methods give an interesting comparison 

with our current practice in two particular respects. 

Larger, simpler on" ..piece component parts 

are used, reducing the numbe r of man hours for subassembly 

work. As manufacturers in this country 

are getting larger quanti ty orders and consequently 

can spend more money on tooling and equipment this 

trend is increasing here. 

Even more striking are the differences between 

their methods of assembling major components and 

ours. The junction points of the ME-110 have the 

connecting fittings reduced to a minimum and each 

fitting has considerable freedom of adjustment so 

that a fairly large discrepancy in accuracy of 

dimensions is easily taken care of. This contrasts 

with our method of a large number of attachment 

fittings unadjustable and requiring very accurate 

jigging. 

The advantage, particularly when 5ub-assemblies 

(Next page, Col. 2) 

OCTOBER /941 15 

Sometime ago the Wright Aeronautical Corporation 

had the opportunity of studying a Mercedes-Benz 

DB-601A aircraft engine, which had powered atienerschmitt 

fighter. The power plant was torn down, 

bit by bit, with every part being subjected to a 

detailed analysis. Raymond W. Young, of the corporation, 

reports that a comparison between the major 

parts of typical high production German and American 

aircraft engines emphasizes that: 

1.The materials used in the DB-601A are quite 

on a par with those used for similar purposes in 

the Wright Cyclone and other Adlerican engines. 

2.There isno apparent sacrifice in the quality 

of material used in German engines up to the time, 

at least, when this particular one was produced, 

which is believed to be late in 1939. 

While the engine first presented a somewhat discouraging 

appearance upon being unpacked, with its 

dull black finish and a dangling mass of wires, 

controls, fuel, oil and coolant lines, etc., it 

soon became apparent that good design, high quali ty 

and excellent workmanship lay behind its somewhat 

homely exterior, Mr. Young says. The general workmanship 

indicates the application of suitable 

machine tools, skilled operators and efficient 

personnel. Handiwork in polishing highly stressed 

parts is of the highest order, but no useless effort 

has been expended where there is not a direct 

return in increased reliability or performance. 

Its general design reflects a ruggedness and reliability 

which has always characterized Mercedes- 

Benz products, while the relatively low rating indicates 

conservatism in output for the sa~e of 

improved reliability and increased service life. 

Attention To Details 

Careful attention has been paid, according to Mr. 

Young, to seemingly unimportant details which may 

mean the difference between success and failure in 

a given design. Specific reference in this connection 

is made to the doweling and serrating of 

joints to eliminate chafing and ultimate trouble; 

also to the shot hardening of stressed steel surfaces 

in intimate contact to reduce fretting and 

fatigue 

failures. 

With possibly several minor exceptions, the design 

represents good mass production practice for 

the use of special purpose machine tools. While 

the grinding of gears is on a par with American 

(Next page, Col. 1.)

ENGINE ••• pract ice, it is cur ious to note that 

highly stressed bolts do not have ground threads. 

The high quality of the steels used, according to 

Mr. Young, is reflected in the marked absence of 

magnaflux indications and, with the possible exception 

of nickel, there is no evidence of any 

shortage of tin, chromium, tungsten, etc., at 

least at the time this engine was constructed. 

There is also a noticeable similarity in the application 

and composition of many materials with 

those used in American engines, the one exception 

being the almost total lack of magnesium alloys. 

Another interesting phase of military operation 

which is reflected in the design of the DD-60lA is 

the requirement for an unfaltering take-off with a 

stone-cold engine. This is particularly required 

of fighter and interceptor power plants. It has 

been reported that take-off with a cold engine in 

German fighting planes is accomplished on a few 

seconds notice. 

A supplementary tank carries a mixture of ether 

and gasoline to be used for priming, while a secondary 

tank containing fuel mixed with a small 

percentage of oil isused during take-off and climb. 

The take-off is made almost immediately after starting 

the engine, and the swi tch to straight gasoline 

is not made until the normal operating temperatures 

have been attained. 

The cooling medium used in the DB-60lA is a mixture 

of 70 per cent. water and 30 per cent. ethylene 

glycol, Mr. Young states. In the case of fighters 

for high altitude operations, it has been reported 

that the ethylene glycol content is increased to 

SO per 

cent. 

Despite wishful thinking to the contrary, Mr. 

Young says, the performance of the DB-601A with 

respect to sea level and altitude output, fuel 

consumption and weight seems to be on par with 

other contemporary power plants of the same general 

type. Assuming that the engine under discussion 

is a model released for production during 1939, it 

is not unlikely that the current rating in 1941 is 

1,400 horsepower, especially inview of the reports 

from abroad that the German planes are using fuel 

of 92 octane. 

Since the impetus of war wi th its ever increasing 

demands for higher speeds and heavier bomb and armament 

loads, continues Mr. Young, dictates the necessity 

for power plants of greatly increased output. 

it is not at all unlikely that the basic design of 

the 00-60lA has been incorporated into an ..x .. type 

engine. Such development would be the logical production 

setup utilizing known and service proven 

components, and accordingly may well be the 2,400 

horsepower engine recently reported to be under 

construction in Germany. 

The Mercedes-Benz Model DB-601A aircraft engine, 

he explains, is a development of the Daimler-Benz 

Aktiengesellschaft of Stuttgart, Germany, a firm 

16 

FIGHTER ... are not built close to the prime 

contractor, would seem obvious. 

Many people have had the impression that German 

planes were constructed largely of -ersatz" materials. 

The analysts found quite the reverse to be 

true. The highest quality material for the particular 

purpose was used in practically every case. 

Natural rubb~r, aluminum, magnesium, high-grade 

alloy steels, copper, nickel, manganese, chromium, 

molybdenum, tungsten, tin, titanium, vanadium and 

other materials appeared in quantities which indicated 

not the slightest shortage. (The fuel used 

was of 90 or 92 octane rating.) In the few cases 

where a material was omitted such as cadmium plating 

on small steel parts (bolts, etc.) it is suspected 

that an unnecessary refinement was eliminated 

to reduce man hours and not because of a 

shortage of the material. 

Just as with materials the various equipment 

items--radio transmitters and receivers, engine 

flight and navigation instruments, power plant accessories 

and miscellaneous gadgets were used in 

abundance. If anything, the ME-110 was more completely 

equipped than our standards call for in 

comparable planes. In almost every case this 

equipment was well designed and built with precision. 

The airplane probably went into production about 

three years ago and is still good by present day 

standards. Although the Luftwaffe has sent over 

the lines little of more advanced design the ME-lIO 

should remind us that German technical skill is undoubtedly 

not asleep. American manufacturers cannot 

afford to do less than apply their knowledge 

and skill to the utmost. 

Wall Street Journal 

which has been engaged in the manufacture of automotive 

and aircrarc engines for over SO years. 

Restricted by the terms of the Versailles Treaty, 

German aircraft engine development had remaineq 

virtually at a standstill for a number of years, 

particularly in the high power output field. After 

the merger of Daimler and Benz, however, their 

aircraft engine activi ty was renewed, and this firm 

in 1928 produced a 12-cylinder "Vee," water-cooled 

powerplant of 800 to 1,000 horsepower known as the 

F-2 Model. During the succeeding years, the development 

of a 12-cylinder inverted "Vee" liquidcooled 

engine was actively pursued and resulted in 

the production of the Model DB-600, with which 

several land plane speed records were broken. 

From this chronological resume, ~r. Young points 

out, it will be observed that the development of a 

military powerplant for the fighting aircraft of 

the Luftwaffe involved a span of 10 years, and, 

like similar technical accomplishments in other 

countries, either in the field of aviation or other 

industry, was not brought about overnight. 

Wall Street Journal

Graham CA-ackersfor Grounded Flyers 

By (;apt. B. D. VltaDlln ~ 

CHOW 

W",,,ON 

A new-type emergency field ration for use by Air 

Corps personnel who are forced down in isolated 

areas has just been tested during a 100-mile hike 

across a New Mexican desert by a 14-man experimental 

expedition from Wright Field. 

The new ration provides its users with 3,500 

calories a day, and has an average weight of 12.5 

ounces per meal. It was developed by the Quartermasters' 

Subsistence ResearchLaboratory at Oticago, 

and tested as the result of conferences between 

Capt. Paul K. Smith of the Aero Medical Research 

Unit atWright Field, Dr. Ancel Keys of the University 

of Minnesota and Col. Rohland Lske r and other 

officers of the Quartermasters' Subsistence Research 

Laboratory. 

Meals are prepared in individual packages, of 

which the mainstay is "pemmican" biscuit containing 

vi rtually all the essen tials 0 f a balanced diet, 

and said by scientists to be far superior to any 

former type. In addition to the biscuit each'meal 

package also contains two graham crackers, a stick 

of chewing gum and a number of special condensed 

foods in keeping with the time of day the meal is 

to be eaten. 

COncentrated 

Lemonade 

Special foods on the breakfast menu include a 

powdered soluble coffee with sugar, a supply of 

malted milk tablets and a small tin of veal loaf. 

Those on the luncheon menu include a ham loaf tin, 

bouillon paste in a tube and a supply of dextrose 

tablets. The supper package provides a pork-beef 

sausage, some pieces of chocolate fudge candy and 

tablets for making lemonade. 

The experimental expedition which tested the new 

ration was headed by Maj. D.B. Dill. Accompanying 

Maj. Dill were Capt. Paul K. Smith and Lieut. T.R. 

Noonan, both attached to the Aero Medical Research 

Laboratory; four college professors and seven enlisted 

men from the Wright Field medical detachment. 

Most of the trip was through the huge Santa Fe 

National Forest. Each hiker carried a 25 lb. pack, 

including two blankets, mess kit and three days' 

emergency rations. Weight losses of as much as 

three pounds were not uncommon for a day's march, 

rot the loss was principally water, due to excess - 

ive perspiration in the hot New Mexican sun. 

The party recorded travel of from 13 to 21 milM 

a day at altitudes ranging from 5,000 to 9,400 

feet. Since the average pilot wears an ordinary 

oxford shoe, instead of a heavy marching shoe, the 

OCTOBER rt)# 17 

hikers wore oxfords and uniforms or pilots' and 

mechanics' coveralls. 

The results of the experiment showed, according 

to Major Dill, that the new ration is "generally 

satisfactory." They also proved that it has adistinct 

advantage over the Army Type C field ration, 

which contains a beef stew which must be heated to 

be palatable. Although the new ration contains 

coffee and bouillon, which can be heated as a matter 

of choice, both proved very palatable when made 

with cold water. 

The 3,500 calories a day provided by the experimental 

ration are about 50 per cent. more than the 

average sedentary person needs. For this reason, 

despite the hiking exercise, only one subject ate 

all his food each day. 

The ration, as supplied to pilots, would probably 

be contained in their" jungle kit, II a pack supplied 

to flyers whose duties take them over wilderness 

areas. It contains a machete, a knife, first aid 

supplies and food. Addi tional ration supplies 

would probably be carried in the plane. 

The new ration is the product of many dietetic 

experiments, and may be changed still further on 

the basis of the field test. 

Pvt. G. E. Hohenshilt Has a Condensed Breakfast

MR. LOVETT SAYS OUR'S ARE THE BEST 

Airplanes of the Army Air Forces which participated 

in the recent Second and Third Ar~ maneuvers 

in Louisiana constitute, from point of view of 

qua Lit y , -the finest air force in the world." So 

stated Robert A. Lovett, Assistant Secretary.of 

War for Air, at a recent press conference in which 

the most important types of United States Ar~ aircraft 

were discussed. 

Mr. Lovett asserted that his statement was based 

on the best information available from the European 

war zone, and on reports made by Army Air Forces 

pilots who have had experience flying the latest 

foreign types of airplanes. 

With respect to quantity the Assistant Secretary 

admitted that the United States still has a long 

way to go, but explained that "production is now 

beginning to roll, and our share of it from here 

on should enable us to equip combat units at the 

rate of about one squadron every other day." Even 

this rate, he said, would be increased in coming 

months. 

In each of the main classifications of aireraft 

which took part in the Louisiana maneuvers, Mr. 

Love tt said tha t in maneuve r ab i 1it y , fire -pOwe t , 

and performance American planes represent the last 

word in modern fighting equipment. The four main 

types of airplanes participating in the war ~ames 

were dive bombers, light bombers, medium bombers 

and fighter planes. Although heavy bombers were 

not uti 1ized in maneuve rs , Mr. Love tt rems rked tha t 

the United States also possesse-s what is considered 

to be the world's best in this category. 

A-24 Used 

Newest type of plane used in maneuvers was the 

A-24, adive bomber which, according to the Auistant 

Secretary, is without equal. Two squadrons of 

this airplane, a version of the Navy SElD. were 

used inLouisiana. The A-24 is extremely effective 

against moving targets, such as motorized troops, 

and is used primarily in close conjunction with 

ground forces. 

Light bombers used in the war games were of the 

A-20A type, which was called the -fastest bomber 

in the world today" by Mr. Lovett. Airplanes of 

this type are being supplied to the Royal Air 

Force in quantity under the Lease-Lend program. 

The British, who have named the A-20A the "Havoc," 

are using it not only as a light bomber, but also 

as a night fighter because of its speed and maneuverability. 

18 

Medium bombers participating in the Southern 

"exercises" were theB-25 and the B-26. Mr. Lovett 

described the B-25 as a medium pomber with the 

ability to carry a good load a long distance, and 

theB-26 as a medium bomber with the fas tes t cruising 

speed of any plane of its class. The B-25, 

which has a top speed only slightly under that of 

the B-26, possesses range, speed and load facilities 

superior to any foreign medium type bomber. 

In the fighter plane class the outstanding Air 

Forces planes, all used in Louisiana, are the P-38, 

P-39 and P-40. Mr. Lovett described the P-38 as 

being the fastest military airplane in the world, 

with a speed of well over 400 miles per hour with 

a full military load. In addition to being the 

fastest, this plane is also one of the most heavily 

armed fighters in existence, mounting37 rnn, cannons 

and .50 caliber machine guns. 

P-39 Fast 

The P-39 was described a s faster than the majority 

of the latest fighting planes of the world, 

and as hav ing no equa La s a middle-altitude fighter. 

The P-40, another front-line middle-altitude 

fighter used extensively by the British, is being 

improved greatly in recent models the Assistant 

Secretary announced. Tht latest model to be delivered--which 

was used inmaneuvers--is the P-40E. 

It is very maneuverable, gives fine performance at 

altitudes where bomber interceptions are taking 

place, and has higher horsepower and much greater 

fire-power than its ored~cessors. It mounts six 

.50 caliber machine guns and, according to Mr. 

'Lovett, can run circles around outstanding foreign 

types of pursuit planes in combat. 

Although not yet delivered in quantity to the 

Air Forces, the P-47, now in production, was described 

by Assistant SecretarY Lovett as the fastest 

single-engined airplane so far developed, having 

done 080 miles per hour in a dive test, and 

over 400 miles per hour in level f Lizh t , 

Answering charges made in some quarters that the 

A-20A, B-25 and B-26 cannot be flown at night, that 

it required over a mile to land them, and that it 

is impossibletobring them down on sod fields, Mr. 

Lovett stated that night flying and operating from 

sod fields had been part of the accelerated service 

test of each airplane. Further he said that the 

British have been using the A-20A as a night fighter, 

and have been taking off and landing this type 

repeatedly on small war-time fields at night. 

OCTOBER 19~1

A Veteran Retires 

FRANK P. LAHM APPOINTED MAJOR GENERAL 

On~ of the pioneers in Army aviation, former Brigadier 

General Frank p. Lahm, became a Major General 

last month when the nomination for his promotion, 

made by President Roosevelt on September IS, was 

confirmed by the Senate two days later. General 

Lahm's promotion took place two months before he 

will reach the statutory retirement age of 64. 

General Lahm, now Air Officer for the First Army, 

began the career which led to his present high 

rank in 1901 when he was graduated from the United 

States Military Academy and commissioned a second 

lieutenant of Cavalry. 

General Lahm's career has been a significant one. 

Since he first went to France to study aeronautics 

in 1905 he has been in the forefront in the making 

of aviation history--both civil and military. 

Lighter-than-air as well as heavier-I:han-air flying 

has held the General's interest, and his name 

appears many times in the annals of orogress in 

both of these fields. Not only was he the first 

Army airplane pilot, but also one of the first 

balloon pilots in military history. As far as 

existing records show he was, in addition, the 

firs t oerson in the mi Iit a rv se rv ice of any country 

to make a solo flight in an airplane. 

First 

Cross-Country 

Outside of military aeronautical history General 

Lahm can list among his accomplishments the establishment 

with Orville Wright, of one of the first 

endurance records for aircraft, remaining in the 

air for one hour, 12 minutes and 40 seconds. Also 

with Orville Wright he completed the first crosscountry 

flight, a ten-mile iourney from Fort Myer 

to Alexandria, Virginia, and return. 

In the field of lighter-than-air flying General 

Lahm's activities led to his winning an International 

Balloon Race (from Paris, France, to Flying 

DorIes, England) as far back as 1906. During 

the early part of this country's participation in 

the World War he was especially active in the 

lighter-than-air field, being attached to the 

Balloon Wing, Second Army, of the British Expeditionary 

Forces in France shortly after joining the 

A.E.F. While with this unit he participated in an 

attack which lasted from September 6 to October I, 

1917. He was also attached for a time to the Balloon 

Headquarters of the French Army at Soissons, 

France, and served with this group during the attack 

on Chemin Des Dames on October 23, 1917. 

After rece1v1ng this experience with the British 

OCTOBER 19

NEW HURRICANE FIGHTER WITH SHARP TEETH 

Here's a close-up view of the new British Merlin-powered Hurricane II, showing its four 20 mm csnnons 

This one is equipped with 12 machine guns. six in each wing 

nrrnRFR 1941

New 

Marine Air Units 

MORE FEATHERS FOR THE DUCKS 

Aviation is in the process of taking an important 

place in the United States Marine Corps as plans 

for the activation of two complete Marine wings 

are being put into effect. 

Latest steps in the chain of events designed to 

give the Marines a full-fledged air force have 

been the creation of the East Coast Wing Headquarters 

at Quantico, Va., and the approval of 

plans for the assignment of groups to the West 

Coast Win~ at North Island. San Diego, Calif. 

When present plans are put into effect the Mar ines 

will have two complete aviation wings--the East 

Coast and the West Coast--composed of five groups 

each. Two fighter groups, one scout bomber group, 

one bomba rdr-ent group, and one u.tility group will 

constitute a wing. Utility groups will be used to 

transport men and materiel, and do other odd jobs 

for the tactical units. Each Marine group will be 

broken down into squadrons in much the same manner 

as those of the Army Air Forces. 

Existing aviation combat units of the Marine 

Corps are assigned to Marine Aircraft Groups 11 

and 21, which function under the new East Coast 

Wing at San Diego. At present each is composed of 

two fighter squadrons, two scout-bomber squadrons, 

commanded by Colonel Roy S. Geiger, the Group by 

Lt. Col. H. D. Campbell. The West Coast Wing is 

under Brig. Gen. R. E. Rowell; Lt. Col. L. G. 

Merritt commands the group. 

Organization Will Grow 

This present organization will grow into the 

planned organizat ion of two complete wings as planes 

are made available by the Navy. Planes used by the 

Marine Corps are of Navy design, and are bought 

through Navy procurement machinery. Similarly, 

Marine pilots, gunners, and crews , although designated 

as Marines, are trained at naval pilot training 

centers. 

Marine flyers, like all "Leathernecks", are 

trained to operate from both naval vessels and 

ground bases. Although their primary purpose is 

to function in conjunction with Marine ground 

forces and the Navy, the entire Marine Aircraft 

Group 11 participated in the Army's recent Louisiana 

maneuvers. They were being used in the Army's 

war games because of their background and experience 

in the technique of dive-bombing. 

Unlike theArmy Air Forces, Marine aviation wings 

will not maintain a separate organization but will 

function as part of a land division. According to 

present plans the East Coast and West Coast Wings 

will not be under a single head, but will be commanded 

separately under the control of the division 

to which they are attached. 

MOONLIGHT 

AND ROSES 

A one-man lonely hearts club and mail mart is in 

full bloom at France Field, in the Panama Canal 

Zone. Sergt. George R1ssell is it. 

Attention yas first called to Sergeant Russell 

last July when a puzzled postmaster investigated 

the soldier who received over 200 letters in two 

days. Vllat the postmaster found was a once-lonely 

sergeant who one day sat down and wrote a letter or 

two to leading U.S. magazines suggesting that some 

of Uncle Sam's patriotic daughters might make life 

a whole lot easier for Uncle Sam's patriotic sons 

if they'd just sit down and write the boys a letter. 

The result was staggering. Within a few weeks 48 

letters from patrio~ic daughters arrived in one 

mail. The next day 153 arrived. Sergeant Russell, 

who had offered his services as a clearing house 

where letters could be distributed to interested 

soldiers, wasswamped--but undaunted. He sat down, 

rolled up his sleeves and began the colossal task 

of indexing and distributing his correspondence. 

california Lead. The Way 

The index has grown to astounding proportions. 

Each card shows a young lady's name and address, 

the type of correspondent she is interested in, her 

occupation, and her special interests. There are 

college students, clerks, stenographers. mOdels, 

and almost every other type of occupation imaginable. 

The file contains letters franevery state in 

the union, as well as from Canada, Alaska, Cuba, 

Hawaii. and the Canal Zone. Largestrepresentation 

is fran California, with New York close behind. 

The response among France Field' s soldiers is enthusiastic. 

Not a letter has gone unanswered, and 

outgoing mail from the field is keeping pace with 

Sergeant ~ssell' s incoming batch, which is threatening 

to pass the 2000 per week mark. 

OCTOBER I9/-I 21

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1st.Interceptor 

Command, 

Exercise 

Oct. 9 to 16, 1941 

*Region Command Post 

and Filter Center. 

• Filter Center 

= Region Boundaries 

'3rd Interceptor Command 

Exercise 

Oct. 20 to 25, 1941. 

----, I 

\ ' 

' ... ,,'

Wholesale Mess nail 

Feeding Them by the Sqnadr&~.\i~ 

By Lowell Llmpn8 

Anovel "ness regiment ," which can toss a firste 

lass neal into 18,000 men in less than an hour; 

that's Chanute Field's most notable contribution 

to the setup of our recently reorw;anized air force. 

And it has the oldtimers, as well as the Washington 

brasshats, watching the performance in gow;w;leeyed 

astonishment. 

Nobody ever saw anything quite like it, as glowing 

letters from inspector generals attest. It's 

a brand new idea, and now the spectators are beginning 

to wonder if they can't put the whole outfit 

on wheels and take it into the field with an 

infantry division. For a "mess regiment," a big 

cooking organization composed of specialists, operating 

in this fashion, is something new under 

the military sun. 

Out here, the commander of the regiment simply 

tosses a fully equipped mess battalion, complete 

with officers, noncoms, cooks and bakers, into 

one of three gigantic mess halls, and feeds endless 

cafeteria lines of men the tastiest food that 

this writer ever saw come out of an Army kitchen. 

INTERCEPTOR EXERCISES MAP 

Exercises of the First Interceptor Comnand got underway 

the second week of October in an area ranging 

roughly from Massachusetts toNorth Carolina, while 

the Third Interceptor Command was scheduled to take 

to the field toward the end of the month. The latter 

is functioning in the area from North ~rolina 

to Georgia. 

Each of the commands has divided the area to be 

organized for air defense into regions, as shown on 

the accompanying map. In each region an Information 

Center with Region Command Post has been or will be 

established, andFilter.Centers---which make a preliminary 

collection of the reports---are located at 

each Regional Information Center and atother strategic 

points. 

The exercises are, as pointed out by Lieut. Gen. 

Delos C. Emmons, commander of the Air Force Combat 

Cbmmand, actual tests of a permanent system of active 

air defense which is being worked out for the 

United States as rapidly as possible. Communication 

nets for the civilian observers are being set 

up and other details are being arranged. Planes 

operating in the first exercise alone were expected 

to fly more than 1,000,000 air miles during the 

eight-day program. 

Only, being in the Air Corps, they call the outfit 

a "mess group" instead of regiment, and the battalions 

are designated "mess squadrons" to conform 

to the nomenclature of the flying units. But it's 

a regimental organization, just the same. 

The man responsible for the innovation is Major 

Edgar T. Noyes, a two-fisted flying fighter, who 

has just been relieved as mess officer, in compliance 

with a War Department order that sends combat 

pilots back to airplanes. Succeeding Major Noyes 

in command of the group is Capt. Paul W. Summers, 

who acted as his superior's first assistant in 

building up the organization. And keeping an approving 

eye on the outfit is Col. R. E. O'Neill, 

commandant of the great technical school, which is 

turning out airplane mechanics and technicians in 

a slowly increasing torrent. 

Gets 

Of Uda 1 Bless ing 

Washington placed its official blessing on the 

scheme, with a series of enthusiastic conmendations 

of Major Noyes' work, when it sent him on to take 

command of an air base group located here, while 

the idea is already beIng adopted at the new technical 

schools that are just coming into existence 

at Biloxi, Miss., and Wichita Falls, Tex. Brig. 

Gen. Muir S. Fairchild, acting chief of the Air 

Corps, sent along a warm approval of the report of 

the inspector general on Noyes' achievement and a 

whole flock of other super10rs added a chorus of 

praise in"the form of indorsements to the official 

record. (The maj or, he noted, seems more than a 

trifle nonplussed by his sudden appearance in the 

spotlight--and this is perfectly natural, since 

nobody ever heard of a mess off icer drawing tr ibutes 

before. ) 

The Chanute Field mess group, whose mess officer 

is amenDer of the cOIllIII.uxiing officer's staff, consists 

of an administrative section, a supply section, 

a messing section and the three mess squadrons. 

Each squadron contains its own administrative 

and supply subsections as well as a messing 

division, divided into a food preparation, a dining 

hall and a refuse and garbage unit. And they handle 

food in assenDly-1ine fashion. 

The outfit normally numters 1,020 men, of whom 

600 are permanent members of the unit and 420 are 

KP's, furnished by various companies of enlisted 

men enrolled in the school. At present the basic 

cadre is down to 425 specialists, due to the fact 

that it had to furnish the nucleus of the mess 

OCTOBER 

I9.f.r 

23

units sent to Biloxi and wichita Falls. But it's 

still hitting on all six cylinders and handling 

amazing quantities of food in a fashion which dumfounds 

military men. The organization is so flexible 

that it can and does vary its service by as 

much as 4,000 to 5,000 men in the course of a 

single day, without batting an eyelash. (This is 

something in a school such as this, where classes 

numbering thousands are continually entering and 

being graduated.) 

Food is handled in wholesale quantities with big 

business efficiency, the whole thing being controlled 

by an elaborate but effie ient set of books, 

records and running inventories, which stir up a 

whale of a row if a cook bakes himself a private 

pie or a KP sni tches an apple. The Gove rnment pays 

47~ cents a day for each soldier's food and the 

mess authoritiesdealwith colossal !lums, sometimes 

spending as much as $5,000 a day more than their 

income and making up for it during the week by 

quantity discounts. 

Holiday Dinner Already Planned 

They plan their schedules weeks in advance and 

the resulting meals stir the imagination. Next 

Thanksgiving's dinner menu is already coming down 

the line and Chanute Field privates may look forward 

to a feast. The mess group now has listed 

for that occasion shrimp cocktail, oyster stew. 

roast turkey, roast chicken, roast ham, cranberry 

sauce, giblet gravy, potatoes, peas, and corn, lettuce 

and tomato salad, cake, ice cream. lemonade, 

coffee, tea, after-dinner mints, assorted nuts, 

candy, oranges, apples, ban~nas, grapes, cigars 

and cigarettes. The powers-that-be say they hope 

they can afford to add a few "extra fixin's" between 

now and then. 

Major Noyes worked for two years building his 

organization and the flexible system of controls, 

which is too complicated for description here. He 

planned the physical setup of the three big new 

mess halls and fought until he obtained them from 

a reluctant quartermaster department. Each is 

organized in sections, with food flowing from delivery 

wagons to store rooms, through the great 

kitchens with their batteries of electric stoves 

into the long preheated service stands, where the 

soldiers are served on aluminum trays. They circle 

back to waiting, condiment-equipped tables, surrounding 

huge coffee urns, and then pass out by 

way of the electric dishwashing machines. 

Noyes planned it all out himself and solved innumerable 

problems in the process. He flew a 

bomber to Langley Field, Va., to snatch worthless 

alumim.un from a salvage heap and made the big serving 

pans from which his cafeteria lines are fed. 

For weeks he slept in the mess hall, checking cooking 

routines and soldier food preferences. Securing 

data from the Surgeon General, he went in for 

balanced diets and learned tomeasure vitamins with 

NA VIGA TOR TRAINING 

BROADENED 

A recent increase in the annual training rate of 

aerial navigators to 5,250 has opened up a large 

number of vacancies in new navigator-training 

classes now being formed. The first class under 

the new program was organized on October 4--others 

will follow at three-week intervals. 

Navigators receiving training are classed as 

aviation cadets, and must meet the same general 

requirements for appointment as do cadets taking 

flying training. Physical requirements, however, 

are slightly less rigid in that visual acuity of 

20/40 in each eye correctible to 20/20 in both 

eyes 

is acceptable. 

Other requirements provide that applicants must 

be unmarried, citizens of the United States, between 

the ages of 20 to 26 inciusive, and of good 

character, sound physique and excellent health. 

While undergoing training, navigator cadets receive 

$75 per month and a one dollar per day ration allowance, 

the same as pilot cadets. 

The navigator training course lasts 30 weeks, 15 

being spent at a navigation school, 10 at a reconnaissance 

school and five at a gunnery school. Air 

Corps navigation schools are located atKelly Field, 

Texas; Mather Field, Cali fornia and Albany, Georgia. 

There is also acivilian school operated under contract 

by pan-American Airways at Miami, Florida. 

Upon the successful completion of the 30-week 

course cadets are commissioned second lieutenants 

in the Air Corps Reserve and receive flight pay. 

They are rated as "Aircraft Observers." 

In accepting applications, graduates of accredi t- 

ed colleges and universities who have received a 

degree in engineering are taken first. Next come 

graduates of accredited colleges who have had, as 

a minimum, courses in plane geometry, college algebra 

and trigonoM~.ry. Preference is given to 

those whose mathe;liltical work has also included 

analytical geometry and spherical trigonometry. A 

third priority is given to those applicants who 

have not graduated, but who. have completed two 

years of accredited college work, and who have had 

the mathematics courses outlined above. 

a practiced hand. Part of his reward was contained 

in the recent widely publicized letter which a 

local soldier wrote President Roosevelt saying: 

"The system we have here for mess can't be beat in 

any other Army camp. It's a system that everybody 

likes. The food is better than I ate at home." 

Major Noyes can't quite say that, though. He 

encountered his only major defeat when he tried to 

show Mrs. Noyes just how rolls should be baked. 

The major proved totally unable to reduce the proportions 

required for an 18,OOO-man recipe down to 

five-person family size, and the resulting odor of 

mixed spices drove them out of the house. Since 

that episode he lets his own ki tchen severely alone. 

24 N. Y. Daily New.

The Bristol LIght Bom.ber 

Night Fighter for the Royal AIr Foree 

:: 

The Bristol Beaufighter, latest product of the 

famous Bristol concern, follows closely in general 

design and construction its forerunners, the Beaufort 

andBlenheim. In night fighting it has proved 

itself very successful. As a day fighter its most 

spectacular engagement was the recent low-flying 

attack on Catania aerodrome, in Sicily, when no 

fewer than 34 Macchi-200 monoplane fighters were 

destroyed without loss to ourselves. 

The Beaufighter is built to an ultra-modern 

specification for a twin-engined fighter. It is a 

high-performance midwing monoplane, all-metal with 

the exception of some of the control surfaces, 

powered by Bristol Hercules sleeve-valve engines. 

Classed as aday-and-night fighter, its outstanding 

features are speed, long range and hitting power. 

A crew of two is carried. 

The principal dimensions and performance figures 

are: Span, 57 ft. 10 in.; length, 41 ft. 4 in.; 

height to top of rudder in rigging posi tion, 15 ft. 

10 in.; wing area, 451 sq. fet.; gross area, 503 sq. 

ft. All-up weight is 21,000 lb., of which no less 

than 34 per cen t , , or 7,200 lb., represents disposable 

load. Nominal top speed, at 14,000 ft., 

is over 330 m.p.h., and range, at an economical 

cruising speed of 200 m.p.h., is 1,500 miles. The 

sea. level rate of climb is 1,850 ft. per min., and 

at 15,000 ft. this drops by only 400 ft. per min. 

to 1,450 ft. per min. Service ceiling is 28,900 

ft. 

The armament is very heavy. Four 20 mm. shellguns 

are carried in the floor of the fuselage and 

six machine-guns of rifle calibre are remotely 

controlled in the wings. Provision for a poweroperated 

turret amidships is also made. The main 

fixed forward-firing armament is operated by the 

pilot, but the second member of the crew is responsible 

for reloading the shell-guns. 

All three wheels of the landing gear are retractable, 

and all are hydraulically operated. The 

main wheels retract backward into the engine nacelles 

and are completely enclosed. The tail wheel 

comes forward into a recess in the underside of 

the fuselage. Electrical indicators in the pilot's 

cockpit show the position of all three units and, 

as a safeguard, there is the usual buzzer which 

operates if the engine is throttled down beyond a 

certain point while the undercarriage is still retracted. 

The main landing legs are very robust, and the 

need for this is obvious when it is remembered that 

the wing loading is in the region of 46 lb./sq. ft. 

and the landing speed correspondinRly high. Oleopneumatic 

shock absorbers are fitted, together wi th 

Dunlop pneumatically operated brakes. Automatic 

safety locks operate to prevent retraction while 

the machine is on the ground. Hand-operated land. 

ing pins are also provided for attachment from the 

ground. TIles!".ir e fitted with red flags which are 

visible to the pi lot and must be removed before 

OCTOBER 19f.r 

The New Bristol Be8ufighter 

25

take-off. 

As would be expected in a machine the main duty 

of which is night fighting, great care has been 

taken to get the controls nicely coordinated, accurate 

in operation and sweet to the touch. Pilots 

all speak very highly of the Beaufighter's controls. 

In layout they are normal. Ailerons and elevators 

are operated through the usual chains and cables 

by a pair of 'spectacles"mounted on the top of 

the joy-stick. Gun-firing trigger and brake-operating 

valve lever are also mounted on the "spectacles" 

and come nicely to the thumbs. TIle brake 

lever also has a spring-loaded catch fitted to lock 

the brakes for parking. Pendulum rudder pedals, 

adjustable for leg reach, operate in parallel motion. 

All flying controls can be locked while the 

aircraft is parked. 

Controllable trimming tabs are set in the trailing 

edges of the rudder, elevators and starboard 

aileron. The port aileron also has a tab but this 

can only be adjusted while the aircraft is on the 

ground. These trimming tabs are all operated by 

handles in the cockpit, and indicators are provided 

to show the position of the tab in relRtion 

to neutral. The pilot's seat is adjustable for 

height. 

Ent'ry and exit for the pilot and observer are by 

two specially desi~ed hatches in the underside of 

the fuselage. That for the pilot is between the 

centre section spars, and the other is farther to 

the rear. These ha tches are pivoted panels normally 

forming part of the underside of the fuselage. 

For use they swing to the vertical position, and 

use is made of a ladder attached to them. They are 

opened by a lever from the inside. Hand grips are 

also provided for convenience. 

Bail-Outs At 400 M.P.H. 

These hatches are also intended for emergency 

exit by parachute. By a quick-release each door 

opens so that part of the door protrudes outwards 

into the air stream beneath the body. This creates 

a dead-air region through which the crew can 

drop free without risk of injury, even in a dive 

up to 400 m.p.h. Steel cables support the air 

loads on the floor hatches when used in flight. 

Additional emergency exits are provided, consisting 

of a knock-out panel on the starboard side of the 

pilot, a hinged window above the pi lot and a hinged 

hood above the observer. 

An emergency electrical si~aling system between 

the pilot and observer is also fitted, for use 

only if the need should arise to abandon aircraft. 

A push-button, operated by the pilot, warns the 

observer to prepare to abandon aircraft; and when 

the warning light on the instrument panel informs 

the pilot that the observer is ready, a separate 

switch is depressed to signal the observer to ball 

out. 

For the crew's comfort a cabin-heating system is 

fitted, controlled by a lever on the port side, 

aft of the pilot. This operates a rotating louvre 

which adDits hot air to the cockpit from the engine. 

Operational equipment stowed inboard is exceppionally 

complete, consisting as it does of navigation, 

identification and formation-keeping lights; landing 

flares; auto-recognition equipment; signal 

pistol; oxygen apparatus; cine-cameraunit mounting; 

stowage for computors; map cases; fire extinguishers; 

first-aid outfit, and axe. Emergency rations 

are stowed in the rear fuselage, at the base of 

the observer's seat. Flying rations and water 

bottles are also carried. Other equipment provided 

includes the heating system, airscrew deicing, 

oxygen apparatus and Lorenz beam-approach 

equipment. Provision is also made for carrying a 

four-gallon water tank for desert use. 

Sleeve Valve Radial Engines 

Turning now to the power plants, the two Bristol 

Hercules Ill's are mounted on the outer ends of 

the main plane centre section. As is well known, 

they are air-cooled radial engines with sleeve 

valves. The 14 cylinders are arranged in two rows 

of seven each, the cylinders of the rear row being 

opposite the gaps in the front row. Two-speed 

blowers and constant-speed airscrews are fitted. 

Each power uni tis enclosed by a long-chord cowling 

of which the exhaust collector forms the leading 

edge. Controllable gills at the circumference of 

the trailing edge govern the air flow for cooling 

purpOses. The swept volume of the engine is 2,360 

cub. in. (38.7 litres) and the overall diameter 52 

in. For take-off 1,400 h.p. is available, and 

1,365-1,425 b.h.p. at 1,500 ft. At 15,000 ft. the 

power is 1,220-1,270 b.h.p. Electric starters and 

handturning gear are provided. 

Fuel is' carried in four separate self-sealing 

tanks with a total capacity of 550 gallons. Two 

tanks in the wing centre section each hold 188 

gallons, and two ""Jrdler tanks--one in each outer 

plane--contain 87 gallons per tank. Separate oil 

tanks of 18 gallons capacity for each engine are 

mounted in the centre section. Ducts in the leading 

edge provide cooling ai r for the oil radia tors. 

The fuel supply from the four main tanks is maintained 

by engine-driven pumps. For normal-range 

flights the four fuel tanks are filled and the outer 

tanks used first. When the outer tanks are 

empty, the inner tanks are turned on. This automatically 

turns off the outer tanks. The chief 

object of this arrangement is to get rid of the 

weight of fuel from the outboard section of the 

wing during the outward flight. Heavy weights so 

far out from the centre of gravity have an adverse 

effect on the maneuverability so necessary in an 

air battle. 

A 24-volt, 500-watt generator on the starboard 

engine supplies the current necessary for the usual 

cockpit Li gb tin g , landing lamps, engine starting, 

(Continued on Pa~e 34, ~01. 1) 

26 

OCTOBER 19~1

THE MONTH IN REVIEW 

hy FALK HARMEL 

Contracts For Airplanes 

Within recent weeks the,War Department, with the 

approval of the Office of Production Management, 

awarded contracts for airplanes and engines, together 

with spare parts therefor, in the aggregate 

sum of $859,584,140.61. Nine airplane manufacturerswereawarded 

contracts totalling $817,108,757.- 

14, as follows: Boeing Aircraft Co., Seattle, 

Wash., $337,447,957.86; Douglas Aircraft Co. , Santa 

Burbank, Calif., $147,790,500.00; Bell Aircraft 

Corp. , Buffalo, N.Y., $75,218,384 .40; Northrop Aircraft, 

Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., $18,411,812.20; 

Vu1tee Aircraft, Inc., Downey, Calif. , $14,518,707.- 

60; BeechAircraft Cor p ., Wichita, Kans., $12,610,- 

125.00; cessna Aircraft Co., Wichita, Kans., $12,- 

043,865.47, and North American Aviation, Inc., 

Dallas, Texas, $6,980,612.76 

Figuring in the award of contracts totalling the 

sum of $42,475,383.47 for aircraft engines and 

spare parts were seven aircraft engine manufacturers, 

the largest award ($19,268,820.36) going to 

the Wright Aeronautical Corp., Paterson, N.J. 

New Construction Projects 

A step in the direction of establishing a new 

Air Corps repair depot was made with the selection 

of a site, embracing 2,400 acres, near Galena, 

Wash., seven miles west of Spokane. This depot 

will be under the control of the Maintenance Command 

and will serve Air Force units in the Northwest. 

The construction of additional facilities was 

authorized for the Twin-Engine Flying School at 

Midland, the Advanced Flying School at Victoria, 

both in Texas, and the Twin-Engine Flying School 

at Lemoore, Calif. Mission, Texas, will be the 

site of a single-engine advanced school, the contract 

for the ~cessary construction work thereat 

totalling $4,090,617.40. The school at Midland, 

which will accoomodate approximately 3,700 men, is 

expected to be completed by Decerrber I, next. 

Basic instead of advanced flying training will 

be given at the school at Lemoore, and the additional 

construction work is designed to take care 

of 630 aviation cadets. 

A contract was awarded for the construction of 

Tullahoma Air Field at Camp Forrest, Tenn., for the 

use of the 128th Observation Squadron, and a 

weather station was authorized for the Army Air 

Forces at Pine Camp, N. Y. For the training of 

the personne 1 at the Army Air Base at Bangor, Me., 

OCTOBER r9/J 27 

a tract of land, embracing some 6,582 acres, was 

secured for use as a borrbing range, also for flexible 

gunnery ground training, smoke dispersion 

t raining and the fir ing of fixed guns on airpla"nes. 

Training 

Sixteen army pilots from eight Latin-American 

countries began a refresher course at the Basic 

Flying School at Randolph Field, Texas. 

A new phase of military aviation training was 

launched on Septerrber 6th with the opening at Maxwell 

Field, Ala., of the first Air Corps Replacement 

Center, where aviation cadets are to be processed 

and taught the fundamentals of soldiering 

before entering flying schools. 

The Replacement Center at the headquarters of the 

Southeast Air Corps Tra ining center, MRxwe 11 Fie Id , 

is the first of three such centers projected in the 

United States. A similar project is planned for 

the Gulf Coast Air Corps Training Center at Randolph 

Field, Texas, and at the West Coast Air Corps 

Training Center at Moffett Field, Calif. 

The new innovation is designed to familiarize 

aviation cadets with the many aspects of soldiering 

before they are sub jected to the flying course, 

in order to relieve them of the task of trying to 

assimilate too many things at once. Past experience, 

officers stated, had proven that a program 

which" threw too many things at the cadet at once" 

caused an abnormal physical strain which caused a 

large percentage of rookies to "wash out." 

This processing phase is in addition to the 

routine course which gives the cadet ten weeks of 

training each in elementary, basic and advanced 

flying. 

National Guard Squadrons 

Five National Guard Observation squadrons were 

inducted into the Federal service from September 1 

to October I, under authority granted by an Executive 

Order issued May 17, 1941. 

The five squadrons are the 121st of the District 

of Columbia, the 122nd of Louis iana, the 123rd of 

Oregon, the 124th of Iowa and the 128th of Georgia. 

Induction of these five squadrons leaves two of 

those included in the Executive Order, above mentioned, 

still to be called up, namely, the 125th 

of Oklahoma and the 127th of Kansas. 

New Organizations Created 

The past month marked the organization of a considerable 

number of new organizations to augment


the rapidly expanding strength of the Army Air 

Forces. Sixteen new units were formed onSepteober 

1, and placed on the act ive list. All of these 

units are Headquarters and Headquarters ~uadrons, 

five of them pertaining to the First to the Fifth 

Support Commands, inclusive, and the remaining 

eleven to the Twenty-sixth, Fifty-ninth, and the 

Sixty-fifth to the Seventy-third, inclusive, Cbservat 

ion Groups. At the same time, the Headquarters 

and Headquarters Squadrons of the Seventh Pursuit 

Wing, the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth and 

Twentieth Bombardment Wings were placed on the inactive 

list. 

Twenty-eight new units were formed at nine Air 

Corps stations, 26 being school squadrons and the 

remaining two materiel squadrons (special). Five 

more school squadrons, the 555th to 559th, inclusive, 

were called into active service on September 

1 at the Advanced Flying School at Albany, Ga. 

A nuober of new units of other branches of the 

A~my were constituted by the War Department for 

duty stAir Corps stations, these inclu:iing 20 Ordnance 

companies and detachments to work with the 

Army Air Forces; five Ordnance Service Companies 

ttlbe stat ioned at Chanute, Maxwe II, Randolph, Moffet 

t and Wr ight Fie Ids, respect ive ly; nine Signal 

Service Companies, one each to be stationed at the 

five fields just mentioned and the remaining four 

to be allotted to the First, Second, Third and 

Fourth Au Forces, respect rve Ly , arrl22 detachments 

of Signal Service Companies to work with Army Air 

Corps 

schools. 

Changes 

Of Station 

Constituted August 30, 1941, at Westover Field, 

Mass., the Ninety-fourth Air Base Group, comprising 

the Hqrs. and Hqrs. Squadron and the 311th Materiel 

Squadron, will be moved in the near future 

to Presque Isle, Maine, where the Group will be 

utilized for the Ferrying Service Command. 

Nine Air Corps units were designated for transfer 

from the Basic Flying School at Cochran Field, 

Macon, Ga., to the Basic Flying School at Shaw 

Field, Sumter, S.C. 

Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the new station of the Hqrs. 

and Hqrs. Squadron, Air Corps Technical Training 

Command, formerly stationed At Chanute Field, Rantoul, 

Ill. 

War Department orders were recently issued for 

the transfer of 26 Air Corps and Air Forces units 

to other stations, included among which were 20 

school squadrons - units which playa vital part 

in the training program of the vastly expanding 

personnel of this branch of the service. 

The 57th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) was transferred 

from Mitchel Field, N.Y., to Windsor Locks, 

Conn . , and three air base groups, the 50th from 

Maxwell Field, Ala., and the 69th and 70th from 

Chanute Field, Ill., were transferred to Baton 

Rouge, La.; Biloxi, Miss., and Wichita Falls, Tex., 

28 

respectively. Also transferred to Biloxi were the 

310th School Squadron from Chanute Field, and the 

Hqrs. and IkIrs. Squadron and the 301s t to the 309th 

Schoo l Squadrons. inclusive, franScott Field, Ill. 

To Wichita Falls, Texas, were transferred the 

ll:Iu. and h:Irs. Squadrons and tre31lthtothe 319th 

School Squadrons, inclusive, f rornLowr y F'{eld,Colo. 

Between October 1 and Deceober I, 1941, 42 AIr 

Corps units, of which four are stationed at Las 

Vegas, Nevada, and the remainder at various Air 

Corps fields inCalifornia (Mather, Moffett, Stockton, 

Gardner and Bakersfield), are to be transferred, 

as facilities became available, to new permanent 

stations. Thirteen units are slated for station 

at Victorville, two at Santa Ana, seven at 

Merced, ten at Lemoore, all in California, and ten 

at Higley, Ar iz. 

• 

Several months ago, air-minded college stu:ients, 

anxious to join Uncle Sam's rapidly expanding air 

force but desirous of receiving their training as 

a unit identified with their college, formed such 

units at the close of the 1941 spring term and received 

their primary flying training at various 

civilian elementary flying schools. Twounits were 

organized at Texas A. & M. College and one each at 

the Virginia Military Institute, Washington and 

Lee, Baylor and Pittsburgh Universities. These 

students completed their 10 weeks' primary training 

on September 23 and were transferred to basic 

flying schools. The men from Baylor and Washington 

and Lee resumed their training at San Angelo, 

Texas, and those from the three other institutions 

at the 'West Point of the Air" - Randolph Field, 

Texas. 

• 

The Miss iss ippi Ins titute of Aeronaut Ics at Jackson, 

Miss., one of the civilian elementary flying 

schools under the Southeast Air Corps Training Center, 

completed its first year of operation without 

a serious accident and with no injury to pilot or 

ground crew personnel. In the seven classes which 

have been graduated from this school up to September 

12, 1941, 275 of the total enrollment of 514 

Aviation Cadets were transferred to basic flying 

schools, or 54%. 

• 

The Air Corps Board, which has functioned at 

Maxwell Field, Ala., for a good many years, was 

recently moved to Eglin Field, Valparaiso, Fla. 

This board, the only one of its kind in the Army 

Air Forces, was created for the purpose of acting 

on such t acti ea I and technical problems as may be 

(Continued on Page 34, Col. 2) 

OCTOBER 19~1

Your Lite insurance 

SELF PROTECTION 

By Major Waddell F. Smith 

FOR AIR FORCES PERSONNEL 

; 

T 

1£ Service Extension Act of 1941 was signed by 

the President and became a law August 18. This 

law gave the President authoritytoextend the periods 

of service of all military classes for periods 

not to exceed 18 months. 

Section 3 of the act authorizes certain military 

classes whose periods of service are extended by the 

President, and who failed to apply for National Service 

Life Insurance or the full amount of insurance 

within 120 days of date of original induction into 

service, to apply for now and obtain the insurance 

without physical examination. The Act allows 120 

days from signing or until December 16, 1941 within 

which time application must be made. 

aY this authority those who failed toapply originally 

for National Service Life Insurance or for 

the full $10,000 may now make application, provided 

their periods of service are extended. 

Order Not All-Inclusive 

The President on August 21, 1941 issued an executive 

order. The executive order did not extend the 

periods of service of all military classes, therefore, 

only the military classes whose service was 

extended by the order are authorized now to apply 

for National Service Life Insurance. 

This article is presented to inform all military 

classes of their rights to insurance and not as an 

interpretation of the law affecting their periods 

of military service. 

Some military classes are not entitled to apply 

for National Service Life Insurance in the current 

120 day period from August 18 toDecember 16, 1941, 

therefore, it is vitally important that all individuals 

concerned be certain of their exact military 

duty status. 

Each military class will be taken up separately 

and their rights toapply for National Service Life 

Insurance during the current period set out. 

Regular 

Army 

OFFICERS. No provision was made for regular officers 

in the United States Army inasmuch as it was 

not necessary by law to extend -the periods of service 

of regular officers. 

ENLISTED MEN. No provision was made for enlisted 

men in the regular army. The add Lt Ioaa l opportunity 

to apply for insurance wi thin 120 days of Au gus t 

18 was intended to be extended only to the emergency 

forces. Fnlisted men in the regular ar~, however, 

are entitled to apply for National Service Life 

OCTOBER 19-11 29 

Insurance within 120 days of reenlistment without 

examination. If the current enlistment should be 

continued or extended, then application may be made 

within 120 days of such continuance or extension 

but subject to physical examination. 

AVIATIrn CADETS and AVIATION srunssrs. Special 

legislation enacted June 3, 1941 provided that all 

aviation cadets and aviation students shall be issued 

$10,000.00 or National Service Li fe Insurance, 

the premiums thereon being paid by the Government 

for the cadets and students. All classes of aviation 

cadets, assigned to pilot training, or as bombardiers 

ornavigators, or to photography, engineering, 

armament, meteorology, or communications are 

included and the premiums therefor paid by the Government 

during training. Aviation cadets and aviation 

students are entitled either upon graduation 

or discharge from such status to continue their insurance 

by paying the premiums themselves. 

Due to the foregoing, aviation cadets and aviation 

students are inno way concerned with the present 

period in which certain military classes may 

apply for insurance. 

All aviation cadets and aviation students should 

familiarize themselves wi th War Department Circular 

no. 132, July 8, 1941, which may be found in any 

headqua rt ers . 

Reserve Officers On Extended Active Duty 

AIR CDRPS RESERVE OFFICERS. All such officers now 

on duty should examine their orders. If they were 

originally ordered to active duty under authority of 

Public No. 18, 76th Congress, passedApril 3, 1939, 

and extension of active duty if any, authorized under 

the same Act, then such officers are not entitled 

toapply for National Service Life Insurance 

during the 120 day period from August 18, 1941. The 

periods of service of Air Corps Reserve Officers on 

duty under authority of Public No. 18 may be extended 

by authority of that law for periods up to 

a total of seven years. 

As there was nonecessity, the executive order of 

the President, which extended the per~ods of military 

service of various classes, as authorized by 

the Service Extension Act of 1941. did not extend 

the periods of service of such Air Corps Reserve 

officers. Inasmuch as the executive order did not 

make such extensions, therefore the current 120 day 

period for making application for insurance does not 

apply to such reserve officers. 

It must he remembered, however, that the already

existing law entitles any reserve officer to a new 

120 day period within which to apply for National 

Service Life Insurance, said period commencing as 

of the date on which reordered to active duty or 

the present tour is continued or extended. Upon 

being reordered with an intervening separation from 

service, application for the insurance is not subject 

to physical examination. If the present tour 

of duty is continued or extended, then a satisfactory 

physical examination must accompany the examination. 

RESERVE OFFICERS, GENERAL. The reserve officers 

of all arms, branches, and services that are now on 

duty, excluding all but a limited number of Air 

Corps Reserve officers and alimited number of reserve 

officers of other branches, have been ordered 

to active duty under authority of Public No. 96, 

76th Congress, passed August 27, 1940. The insurance 

provision in the Service Extension Act of 1941 

extends to all such officers on active duty a new 

opportunity to apply for National Service Life Insurance 

within 120 days of August 18, 1941, subject 

to the following limitation. ()lly such reserve 

officers may apply whose current period of active 

duty expires within said 120 days and whose active 

duty is continued or extended within said 120-day 

period. Applications also must be made within the 

120 day period. 

National Guard In Federal Service 

Selective Service Enrollees Now In Service 

Regular Army Reserve 

Enlisted Reserve Corps In Federal Service 

The periods of service of all ot the above military 

classes were extended by executive order by virtue 

of authority granted to thepresident in the Service 

Extension Act of 1941. 

Although provision ismade in the executive order 

for blanket extension of all of the above classes 

of military personnel, the executive order authorizes 

the Secretary of War to release from active 

service such persons or units as may be released 

without impairment to the interests of national defense, 

the releases to be effected upon completion 

ot the original twelvemonths of training and service. 

The Service Extension ~ct (approved August 18, 

1941) granted toall military classes whose periods 

of service, training, active duty, etc. were extended 

under authority of the aforementioned law, anew 

opportuni ty to apply for and obtain National Service 

Life Insurance. Therefore, theNational GUard, Selective 

Service, Regular Army Reserve And Enlisted 

Reserve COrps all are eligible to apply within 120 

days of August 18, 1941, and no physical examination 

is necessary. 

Individuals who may have previously applied for 

less than S10,OOO.00 insurance may in this present 

120 day period apply for any additional amount, 

provided the total amount held will not exceed 

$10,000.00. 

The four above mentioned classes of military per- 

30 

sonnel are entitled to apply for insurance under 

this provision even though their periods of service 

may not actually be extended at the completion of 

the current year of training or service. It is 

necessary, however, that application be made while 

stiil in active service and on or before December 

16, 1941, the end of the 120 -day period. 

In addition to the privilege of applying within 

120 days of August 18, 1941 wi thout physical examination, 

all personnel of the four above mentioned 

classes whose periods of service, training, or active 

duty are extended upon completion of present 

period of service, training, or active duty, are 

entitled to apply for National Service Life Insurance 

wi thin 120 days of such extension, but subj ect 

to satisfactory physical evidence of insurability. 

Also any individuals in these four classes, who may 

be mustered out of service or relieved from active 

duty and who may subsequently be ordered back into 

active service, are entitled to a new 120 day period 

within which time application may be made for 

National Service Li fe Insurance. The 120 days period 

begins on the date of reentry into the service 

and no physical examination is required. 

Retired Officers And Enlisted Men 

RETIRED CFFICERS. Inasmuch as retired officers who 

have been ordered back into the service are not ordered 

for any limi ted period of service, it was not 

necessary to extend their periods of military service, 

therefore, they are not eligible to apply for 

National Service Life Insurance in the 120 day period 

to December 16. All suchofficers are, however, 

eligible to apply for National Service Life Insurance 

without examination within 120 days of date on 

which originally ordered back into service. 

RETIRED ENLISTED MEN. The Service Extension Act 

authorized the President to extend the periods of 

service of retired enlisted men who are ordered 

back into active service. The President did by 

executive order extend such periods of service, 

therefore, retired enlisted men now in active service 

are entitled to apply for National Service 

Life Insurance without examination during the 120 

day period commencing August 18, 1941 and expiring 

Decembe r 16, 1941. 

()leYear Enlistments 

(Army Of The United States) 

The President's executive order didnot extend or 

continue the periods of service of the above oneyear 

enlistments. As these classes of military 

service were not extended, no addi tional opportuni ty 

to apply fo~ National Service Life Insurance is 

appl icable. 

General 

Remarks 

War Department Circular No. 192, issued September 

16, 1941, which may be found in any headquarters. 

furnishes information as to the rights of military 

personnel to this new 120-day period for obtaining 

insurance. It also sets out instructions for mak- 

OCTOBER 1941

en 

eng 

ing the application. It is highly important rha t 

the application hecompl,>t ed in nccordance with the 

instructions in the circular. 

Any individuals who may be in doubt about their 

military status and rights to apply for National 

Service Life Insurance should make applicntion before 

December 16, being careful to comply fully 

with all instructions contained in War Department 

Circular No. 192. TI\Ose applicants then de r ermined 

to be ineligible by the Veterans Administration 

will be declined. 

The value of National Service Life Insuranc .. and 

the importance of its being applied for hy all military 

classes cannot he stressed too much. No 

charge is marl.. al(:linst the premium dposit s of the 

insured to cov e r admin is t r a t ion cos t. 11,P en tire 

expense of adm in i s t r a t iou and o ve-rh..ad of :I/ational 

Service Life Ln su r an ce is paid out of ~ellPrnl ap. 

propriations for tl\(. Vet ..ran s Adminis t r n t ion . Whenever 

a death claim is pllid and t hr- c au s r of di.ath 

is a t t r ibu t ab l e to th" extr" hazards of tlre- s e rv ice 

either in line of peacp or war, the claim is paid 

out of a separate appropriated fund and no such 

claims are paid out of the premiums deposited by 

the 

in su red. 

Pay your premiums hv deduction monthly f r cun your 

pay. (War Department A.G.O. Form No. 2

IIAlWEUVERS ••• (Continued From Pase 4) 

including 315 combat aircraft and 132 observ~tion 

airplanes. Of the combat types, there were 39 

medium bombers, 44 light bombers, 36 Navy dive 

boabers, 36 Navy fighters and 160 pursuit airplanes. 

Personnel strength totaled 7,946, including all 

service personnel, with a commissioned strength of 

976 officers. 

Personnel and materiel strength of the Second 

Air Task Force was almost equal to that of the 

Third Air Task Force. 

Missions involving various numbers of combat 

aircraft, from one to as many as 80 in a single 

mission, were flown. 

Al though the maneuvers were planned wi th an eye 

to the utmost possible realism, there were some 

inescapable artificial situations. There were insufficient 

airdromes in the maneuver area and 

vicinity and two fields, one at Camp Beauregard and 

one at Natchitoches, were located along the border 

between the hostile armies and were declared "neutral, 

" being used even when in the hands of the 

enemy. They were not subject to hostile attack, 

as were all other airfields within the maneuver 

area. 

Another artificial situation, deliberately created, 

permitted the Red Second Army to concentrate 

adjacent to the international boundary--the Red 

River--while the Blue Third Army was restrained 

some 50-60 miles to the south. This permitted the 

Reds to invade Blue territory without necessity of 

forcing a river crossing in early stages of the 

maneuvers. This greatly offset the power of the 

Blue aviation, which under normal conditions might 

have held the Reds north of the Red River for many 

days, even in the absence of Blue ground support. 

Bad 

Weather 

Both phases of the maneuver opened under extremely 

bad weather condi tions. Just prior to the opening 

of each ph~se, a sub-tropical hurricane, following 

erratic courses across the Gulf of Mexico, 

became so threatening that the great~r part of the 

Blue aviation was moved out of the maneuver area 

into Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. Aviation, 

during both phases, operated initially under handicaps 

of turbulent winds, badly unsettled weather 

conditions and soft, DP.lddylanding fields. 

A typical day's activities by the Third Air Task 

Force resulted in the theoretical expenditure of 

the following ordnance: 81 SOO-lb. demolition 

bomb I , 354 100-lb. demolition bombs, 140,000 .50 

caliber ammunition and 162,000 .30 caliber ammuni. 

tion. 

two attacks were made by parachute troops, which 

were assigned first to the Blue Army and then to 

the Red forces. The two attacks were made by Company 

A, FivelfundredandSecond Parachute Battalion. 

The first attack, made against the Reds in the 

vicini ty of Clarence, Louisiana, was tactically the 

more successful of the two. The first tactical 

32 

parachute attack made byUnited States Army troops, 

this assault came as a complete surprise and had a 

paralyzing effect on vital Red operations in the 

critical center area of the Red lines. Thirteen 

¥ransport planes of the C-33, C-39 and C-50 types 

were used, each carrying 12 to 14 soldiers and 

complete fighting equipment, which also was dropped 

by parachute. This equipment included .30 caliber 

machine guns, 60-millimeter mortars, .45 caliber 

sub-machine guns, .30 caliber rifles and enough 

ammunition for a full day's fighting. Each man 

carried a pistol and two hand grenades as he 

dropped. Strong Blue Pursuit support was'provided 

and an abortive Red air attack on the paratroops 

was bea ten off. 

Air Operations Increase 

As the weather cleared, the intensity and scale 

of the air operations increased. As an example of 

the intensity of the Blue aerial assault, it may 

be noted that in the two hours between 11 a.m. and 

1 p.m. September 18, the Blue warplanes expended 

280,630 rounds of .30 caliber ammunition, 238,830 

rounds of .50 caliber ammunition, 937 37-millimeter 

airplane cannon shells, 834 100-pound demolition 

bombs, 131 SOO-pound demoli tion bombs and 214 recognition 

signals. 

A recapitulation of aircraft ammunition expenditures 

by Blue Aviation during the five days' operations 

of the first phase shows a total of 4,920 

100-pound demolition bombs; 514 300-pound demolition 

bombs; 725 500-pound demolition bombs; 12 

l,OOO-pound demolition bombs; 2,181,000 rounds of 

.30 caliber armor-piercing and tracer ammunition; 

1,356,000 rounds of .50 caliber armor-piercing and 

tracer ammunition and3, 000 rounds of 37-mi1limeter 

high-explosive airplane cannon shells, or a total 

expenditure of 1.025 tons of aircraft ammunition. 

The resupply of airdromes by Army Depots during 

the five days involved movement of 871 tons of 

ammunition. This work required the services of 

438 trucks and of 1.797 men to load trucks and 

1,040 men tounload trucks. Resupply was completed 

every night under cover of darkness. 

The name 'Task Force" ~iven to the air units 

participating in these maneuvers is highly appropriate. 

The Air Task Force has been charged with 

the responsibility of furnishing air support to 

the Army, not in the strategic sense that a bomber 

command might demolish factories or railroads far 

in the enemy interior, but to furnish the identical 

type of support that German panzer and motorized 

columns receive from their Stukas and that the ALlies 

did not receive from their aviation during 

the brief battle of France. 

This support may be visualized as being a prompt 

application of air power to remove obstacles or 

resistance preventing ground forces from gaining 

their objectives. 

OCTOBER 19-11

LAHM .•• (Continued From Page 19) 

for Air at the American Embassy in Paris, Military 

Attache at Pa ri s , and Second Corps Area Air Officer. 

He also organized and for a time commanded the Air 

Corps Training Center at San Antonio, Texas. At 

present General Lahm is Air Officer for the First 

Army, with headquarters at Governors Island, New 

York. 

Served With Cavalry 

General Lahm's career in the Cavalry was just as 

active as his later career in the Air Service and 

the Air Corps. He served with the Cavalry in Cuba, 

Jamaica, Panama, and the Philippine Islands, and 

participated in actions against bandits along the 

Mexican border. He remained in the Cavalry until 

1916, when he was appointed Secretary of the Aviation 

School at San Diego, California. 

Especially appropriate in the case of General 

Lahm is the citation which went with the award of 

his Distinguished Service Medal: 

. 

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished 

services. A balloon pilot of marked ability and 

scientific attainments, he rendered valuable services 

to the American Expeditionary Forces by his 

untiring devotion to the innumerable problems 

which faced the Air Service during its organization 

in France. His broad experience in aeronautics 

played an important part in the formulation of 

policies of the Air Service and was reflected in 

its successes during the St. Mihiel offensive and 

subsequently in the operations of the Second Army." 

PUBLISHER OFFERS PRIZES 

A $2,500 contest among aviators---commercial, 

military and naval---for the best autobiographical 

booklength manuscript has been announced by Alfred 

A. Knopf, Inc ; , "in the belief that there are few 

subjects as interesting and unhackneyed as that of 

flying." Any Army Air Forces officer or enlisted 

pilot is eligible to submit A manuscript. 

"I am looking for an authentic book of flying experiences, 

"Mr. Knopf writes. "It neednot take the 

rigid form of a conventional autobiography---although 

it may do so if the writer feels that his 

story fits that pattern better than the less formal 

one of a volume of reminiscences. Above all, however, 

it must be true--even, in so far as practicable, 

verifiable---and it must be interesting--- 

that is, in style as well as substance clear, untechnical 

and provocative enough toappeal toa wide 

general public." 

All manuscripts should be submitted to CUrtis 

Brown, Ltd., 347 Madison Avenue, New York ci ty, who 

shall be exclusive agents for both the authors and 

the publisher, and should be postmarked not later 

than June 30, 1942. Only typewritten manuscripts, 

double-spaced and no t less than 80,000 nor more than 

150,000 words long, will be considered. Further 

details may be obtained from Curtis Brown. 

------~------ 

ENLARGED BLUEPRINT PLANl' 

DISCHARGES FOR ENLISTED MEN 

Release by the Air Forces of selectees over 28 

years of age, and of both selectees and three-year 

men who desire dependency and similar discharges 

has been authorized by the Air Staff and the Adjutant 

General. 

Under instructions issued by the Air Staff these 

releases will not exceed 15 per cent. of the authorized 

strength of any organization affected. 

It is expected that relatively few men will be 

released by the Air Forces under the new policy because 

of current promotion opportunities and because 

most selectees assigned to the Air Forces 

reached their stations during the past two months. 

Of this group few have completed their one-year 

en li stnen t and few are over 28 years of age. 

It is also believed that very few regular enlisted 

men will request discharges upon the completion of 

their three-year enlistments because promotion opportunities 

are so good at the present time. 

The Air Corps blueprintinv plant--largest in the 

world--was placed on a 24-1,our operating basis 

late last month in order to meet the ever-increasing 

needs of the Air Forces expansion program. 

The blueprinting establishment, part of the 

Drafting and Records Branch at Wright Field, Dayton, 

Ohio, will turn out more than 3,000,000 blueprints 

monthly under the new schedule. Ordinary 

peacetime production is approximately 2, 000 

mon thly. 

For the construction and maintenance of an average 

medium-sized bomber approximately 14,000 blueprints 

are needed. These show in detail every 

part and every installation in an airplane all the 

way down to the smallest rivet. 

Blueprints are used for the procurement of airplane 

accessories and spare parts, for the maintenance 

of planes and for all equipment needed for 

the proper operation of tactical units in the 

field. For these purposes they are sent to all 

Air Corps depots and fields by the Wright Field 

branch. 

The Drafting and Records Branch occupies a total 

of 38,400 square feet in theAdministration B.Jilding 

at Wright Field, and employs 425 people. 

OCTOBER /9-1/ 33

TRAFFIC ... (Continued From Page 13) 

Boord. 

Training activities and acrobatics will be permitted 

within the limits of the airways outside 

the four mile Range Approach Channel. However, no 

acrobatics will be permitted within the four mile 

channel or within the three mile airport control 

Zone and all flight maneuvers outside the Range 

Approach Channel, but within a ten mile radius 

from the center of the control airport, unless on 

an approved flight plan, shall be performed in a 

manner and over an area prescribed by the Regional 

CAA Manager after joint consultation with all aviation 

interests concerned, and after approval by 

the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics. This procedure 

contemplates no changes in existing regulations 

for flight plan procedure or flight within 

control zones. 

Unless on an approved flight plan, all aircraft 

crossing or entering the Range Approach Channel 

must do so at an altitude of less than 1,500 feet 

above the ground. All altitudes above 1,500 feet 

above the surface of the earth and below 17,000 

feet sea-level over the Range Approach Channel are 

reserved for aircraft approaching, departing from, 

or passing over, the control airport. 

Careful and intelligent planning of our airport 

and airway systems are the only sure means of preventing 

costly and dangerous air traffic complications 

in the future. 

BEAU"'IGBTER ..• (Continued From Page 26) 

radio, gun firing, fire extinguishers and other 

elechical equipment. The wireless installation 

is mounted on the port side in the fuselage between 

the centre plane spars, and comprises a transmitter 

and receiver, operated by the pilot by means 

of remote controls. Intercommunication telephones 

between the pi lot and observer are provided. Navigat 

Ion. identification and formation-keeping lights 

are controlled by a signaling switcbbox on the 

starboard side of the cockpit, which provides for 

independent or simultaneous use of the upward and 

downward lamps, either through a telegraphic key 

for Morse or, alternatively, asteady illumination. 

Intercommunication signaling between the pilot and 

the observer is provided by a buzzer and a white 

light on the observer's instrument panel in the 

rear fuselage, operated by a push-button on the 

pilot's instrument panel. The observer can also 

operate a lamp on the instrument panel to attract 

the attention of the pilot. The gyros of turn and 

bank indicators and the artificial horizon are 

driven byooe of two vacuum pumps, which are fitted 

to each engine. In the event of the failure of one 

pump the other can be selected bymeans of a changeover 

control on the port side of the instrument 

panel. The vacuum available is shown on a gauge 

beside this control. Compressor and cylinder are 

34 

REVIEW ••• (Continued From Page 28) 

submitted to it by the Chief of the Air Corps or 

such as it may originate in the course of experiments; 

also to test and evaluate new equipment, 

means and devices designed to improve the efficiency 

of the Army Air Corps. 

• 

Acquisition of two large tracts for use by the 

Army Air Forces was authorized by the War Department 

last month. The largest, comprising 6,582 

acres, will serve as a bombing range and a gunnery 

and smoke dispersion training area for the air 

.base at Bangor, Maine. The other will consist of 

260 acres and will be used for the establishment 

of a fourth echelon base motor shop at Stockton, 

Cali fornia. 

• 

Scott Field, the 2,500-acre Air Corps Radio 

Training School station at Belleville , Ill., is included 

in the list of Army posts, camps and stations 

designated as permanent installations, and 

will be maintained subsequent to the present emergency 

for a period of 20 years or more. 

This decision was given by the War Department 

recentlytothe Defense Housing Coordinator in connection 

with a recent investigation concerning 

housing conditions in Belleville and surrounding 

cormnmity. 

Scott Field at present provides facilities for a 

radio school, an Air Corps Technical School, and 

attached personnel of approximately 10,000. A new 

school area to house some 6,000 additional personnel 

will be occupied on November 1st, next. Plans 

provide for the training of 20,000 radio operators 

yearly, 400 to be graduated each week. 

• 

Recently added to the growing number of flying 

training schools under the Air Corps expansion 

program were one advanced school at Mission, Texas; 

three basic schools at Waco and Sherman, Texas, and 

Enid, Ok la , , all under the Gulf Coast Air Corps 

Training Center, and one basic SChool at Merced, 

Calif., under the West Coast Air Corps Training 

Center. 

The Advanced Flying School at Lemoore, Calif., 

was redesignated as a basic flying school, and the 

Bas Ic Fly ing Schoo I at Hig Iey, Ar iz ., as an advanced 

flying school. 

designed to operate at a pressure of 450 Ib./sq. 

in. After passing the reducing valves it is 220 

Ib./sq. in. The differentially-operated wheel 

brakes are also operated pneumatically. 

Condensed from FLIGHT

"I 

I., 

K.NOW YOUR AIR~RAFT

••••



VOL.24 NOVEMBER, 1941 

NO. 17 

THE COVER 

The photograph of the aerial gunner on the cover of the October issue was 

made by Rudy Arnold, the well-known aerial photographer. Through an error, 

proper credit was not given Mr. Arnold in that issue. The oversight is regretted. 

CONTENTS 

THE CHIEF ourLINES

A Resume of Developments ~\ ~ 

The ~hlef Outlines Our Progress -, \ / / 

By Maj. Gen. H. H. Arnold _ ~ / 

C::lllef of the Army Air Forccs ~ 

l»:A' -- 

.~. GGri ii-~;;;;;+; i~?: 

I RB ~EFCRE 1the expansion the Air Corps had roughly We had practically no funds either for develop- 

2,000 officers, including reserve officers and ment or additional procurement, and there appeared 

those detailed from other branches of the army, to be no prospect of flesh and blood for the skeland 

20,000 enlisted men, at a time when the German eton of our air streOllth. On the part of some of 

Luftwaffe was training an air giant of 1,000,000 our leaders there was a sad reluctance to admit 

officers and men. 

that the airplane was here to stay. 

We had one small-output training center, com- But the Commander-in-Chief in the White Bouse 

posed of Randolph and Kelly Fields at San Antonio, _s not one of these. His recognition of our avi- 

Texas, which graduated three classes a year-- ation deficiencies and his vision, expressed to us 

usWIIlly of less than 100 pilots in each class. duriOllthe fall of 1938, were well ahead of public 

PUrthermore, the blight of too littIe funds over a opinion. In January, 1939, after consultat ions 

period of too many years had reflected itself in with the President, we outlined to Congress his 

all our combat airplanes. proposals to raise our Air Corps objective from 

In pursuit, we had an experimental order for 13 2,320 planes, a dangerously deficient target which 

Curtiss P-40's, a first class fighter; however, we had never been able to reach, to 5,500 airmost 

of our squadrons were flying obsolescent planes and an objectiv. of double our existing 

types whose fire-power of one .30 and one .50 cal- strength in officers and men. 

iber machine gun each was a pin-prick. 

That plan appeared to be adequate at that time. 

In bod>ardment, we had the first models of what But after the invasion of Poland in Septenber, in 

has since proved to be the most outstanding bomber which it was demonstrated to the world that air 

in the wor ld-.the B-17. Today, Eng land and other power packed a Sunday punch, it was c lear that the 

countries are pleading with ever increasing fervor goal for the Air Corps must be revised sharply upfor 

any of that type they can get, from one up to _rd--at once. 

1,000. But we had only 13 of them. COOiress passed supplemental appropriations during 

the next few months to augment the program. 

B-18's Lsy To Hit 

Here is how rapidly ideas and plans can change. 

The bulk of our bombardment squadrons were In January, 1940, our Air Corps made an estimate 

equipped with B-18's, a sitting target for even of 1,200 planes required for our needs. That was 

the slowest of our pursuit planes, and underpowered 

and slow. They were duds on every count before Congress with a request for 496 planes. 

pared down by varioUl agencies so that we appeared 

except training, where they were a life-saver. 

After arguing for two months, the House of Repre. 

Frankly, pursuit had been allowed to drift in sentatives reluctantly approved a total of 59. 

the doldrums, and in bonbardment we had a 100 per The Senate raised that nunber to 157. 

cent •• urplus of a type we could use only for 

Appropr iation Increa.ed 

training and a 99 per cent. shortage of the B-17 

type we needed. 

In Nay, the French Army broke in disorder, and 

We had about 1,000 combat type airplanes, compared 

with thousands today---a total built over 4,000 planes. 

we were given by C0nlre.. about $1,000,000,000 and 

up in spite of heavy diversion of 

Alarmed by the German smash 

This article is a slightly 

plane. abroad. We had a handful 

through the Low Countries into a 

condensed reprint of a speech 

of planes outside the Continental 

wingless France whose skies were 

lIIhichGeneral Arnold made to the 

United States as against many hundreds 

in foreign service units to- 

called a conference of defense lead- 

bare of fighters, the President 

United States Military Academy 

last month. It is carried here 

day. 

ers. The figure he dropped on us 

because it should be of even 

We had less than 20,000 enlisted 

wa. a .ashweight.-50,OOO airplanes 

more interest to The Army Air 

men as against more than 180,000 

a year. The Army had only 2.000 

Forces, as a report by hiM on 

today. We had two or three hundred 

airplanes and here was the Chief 

developments in the expansion 

aviation cadets as against the 

Executive talking about building to 

10,000 now in training. We had program, than it lIIasto the West an annual product ion of 25 times that 

about 2,000 officers as against a Pointers. It is the most author- number. We believe it can be reached. 

present strenlth of nearly 11,000. itat ive resume so fsr released. 

(over)

THE .tIIR FORCES NEWS LETTER . ;:..... ,~, 

"j 

{ j I 

However, we didn't begin to shoot immediately 

toward a goal of 50,000 airplanes for the Air 

Corps, since the money the President had in mind 

did not provide for air bases, overhaul depots, 

housing, personnel or flight training facilities 

to balance the program. 

Dur ing 1940 am 1941, expens ion was pi led on expansion 

like plywood until we are now embarked 

upon a program which calls for the training of 

30,000 pilots and 70,000 mechanics a year to man 

an organization which, if we meet our objective, 

will give us an ultimate strength of 41,000 officers 

and 600,000 enlisted men, including auxiliary 

personnel from other branches of the Service--or 

over tour times the ~trength of the whole army a 

short time ago. 

Pilot Training Success From Start 

I am proud to be able to tell you that the pilot 

training program has been a bright spot from the 

beginning of the current effort, when we decided 

on a policy of letting contracts for elementary 

training to qualified civilian schools under Air 

Corps supervision. Since selection of the first 

nine in June, 1939, the plan has been a natural. 

At present we have 26 civilian schools giving 

primary training and three giving basic training. 

By June, 1942, there will be 41 primary schools, 

18 basic and 21 advanced schools turning out Air 

Corps pilots at the rate of 30,000 a year. In 

other words, we had two schools three years ago; 

next June we will have 80. But don't let that 

give you the idea that we've lowered the standard 

in order to turn out pilots like link sausages. 

The rate of elimination for failure to meet the 

standard of flying proficiency--around SO per 

cent.--is about as high as before. 

Although the course has been shortened from a 

year to 30 weeks' flight instruction, the new 

graduate receives better training than in the 

past. He climbs into our newest and hottest 

equipment and brings it back right 'side up. (Most 

of the time, anyway.) He reports directly from 

the advanced school into instructing or supervisory 

work at the civilian contract schools, and 

what he lacks in experience he is apparently making 

up in enthusia.sm and hard work. 

Accident Rate Falling 

This has been reflected in the mean accident 

rate while the expansion has been under way, compared 

with the three years prior to the shortened 

training course. You would normally expect the 

rate to zoom. Exactly the reverse has occurred. 

The rate has gone down and the trend is still 

down. This year the accident rate in basic training 

has been half what it used to be and fatal 

accidents in advanced training have fallen off SO 

per cent. This in spite of the pressure under 

which we have had to operate. 

The record is equally good for mechanics and 

technicians, whom we are training in 14 civilian 

schools, besides the five schools under our Air 

Corps Technical COIIIIBnd,to he Ip us reach the mark 

of 70,000 a year. Along with all this, we are 

training British pilots and navigators under a 

schedule which calls f~r 7,000 pilots and 1,000 

navigators to undergo training annually, and we 

are qualifying an adequate supply of bombardiers 

and navigators, on non-pilot status, for our own 

combat crews. 

No one denies that we were short on types with 

which to go into mass production when this war 

broke out. As I've pointed out, we had the Curtiss 

p-40, and the Boeing B-17 and we were well 

fixed for trainers. 

Modifications were necessary in the P-40, and we 

have been incorporating them into our later pursuit 

models--armor plate, leak-proof tanks, more 

rugged landing gear for unprepared fields, and, 

especially--greater fire power. The British like 

eight or more machine guns, preferably of unnixed 

calibers. By that I mean they favor all .50 caliber 

or all cannon rather than, say, a combination 

of .50's and .30's. In fact .30 caliber machine 

guns for fighters are on the way out. They lack 

the necessary sting. 

P-40 Rated As Trainer 

Hundreds of p-40's ~ve been built and delivered 

to pilots in our squadrons and to the British, who 

have found them superior to the Hurricane. They 

have given an excellent account of themselves 

against the Luftwaffe in Egypt and have been 

adopted as standard equipment in the Near East, 

although we no longer rate the P-40 as better than 

a good pursuit trainer, because of its limitations 

in speed, ceiling and fire power. 

The B-17, even in its original form, represented 

a long head start over any of the heavy bombers of 

foreign nations. The Air Corps' championing of 

this type has been amply vindicated, and has enabled 

us to go into large production without 

drastic changes. The ceiling and speed have been 

well increased through the use of turbosuperchargers; 

armor, leak-proof tanks, power-driven 

turrets and tailguns have been added to make them 

an even better fight ing machine than they were. 

The first 20 B-17's operating with the R.A.F. 

have provided enlightening performance reports. 

Our performance data had been worked out only up 

to 25,000 feet, and within those limits the ship 

gave no trouble. But the British wanted to operate 

them at 35,000 feet with a full load, which 

created plenty of new problems. To meet these 

difficulties, which come under the head of pioneering, 

changes were made and the B-17's executed 

for some time successful day and night raids over 

Germany at 34,000 feet with virtual immunity from 

enemy fighters and ground fire. (See pa,e 4) 

2 

NOVEMBER 

T94T


For the rest of our aircraft requirements, then, 

we had to embark on an extensive and hazardous 

program of buying airplanes on pa~r, without the 

usual service testing. Bugs cropped up in the new 

ships, but such difficulties are not going to stop 

us from procur ing .in ever increasing quant ity the 

best fighting airplanes in existence. Make no 

mistake about that. 

In the pursuit category, we have reached the 

large production stage on our sintle-engined Bell 

P-39, a type that has demonstrated it is a match 

for the Spitfire and Nesserschmitt up to 16,000 

feet, and on our Lockheed P-38. Eclipsing both of 

these, hOifever, is the new single-engine Republic 

P-47B. 

In various stages of development are pursuit 

types which will make all current types look obsolete. 

The Douglas A-20 series, a splendid light bomber 

and night fighter, has been rolling off the assembly 

lines in shoals, and so has the Martin 

B-26, a mediUIIbomber of outstanding speed and delena 

ive armor and arllBment. 

The R.A.F. already has many of our four-engine 

Conaolidated B-24 boobers. The B-24 is so maneuverable, 

in spite of its size, that Co~stal Command 

has stuck four cannon in the nose, equipped 

it with anti-subllBrine devices and depth charges 

and used it as a fighter. New versions of the 

Consolidated and Boeing will have really startling 

performance. 

Materiel Divilion Producing 

An airplane is designed around its engine, so it 

has fallen on Wright Field to develop pOIferplants 

of higher and higher output. And the Materiel 

Division at Wright Field, true to its tradition, 

has not been sitting around with its thumb in its 

mouth. They are testing an engine out there now 

that develops well over 2,000 h.p. Still in the 

design stage at Wright Field are power plants that 

will turn up still higher power. Once you get up 

into horsepower brackets like that, you've got a 

headache finding a prop that will absorb the 

horses. The uae of as many a. eight blades and 

counter-rotating props will pfobably be the 

answer, since you can't put a 30-foot prop on a 

pursuit plane. 

Reports on new airplanes and engines are very 

encouraging, because they mean thlat our Materiel 

Division is planning to provide our Air Forces 

with the best fighting planes the world has ever 

seen. 

Out first aim, despite the diver. ion of a Ireat 

part of our aircraft production to the nations 

fighting Hitler, has been to keep our squadrons 

..f tying,.hoot iog and bonbing." the shortage of 

equipment has been acute and a very dangerous 

threat to pilot morale, but we can look forward to 

a steady increase in airplane strength. The continual 

process of activating new uflitsand spread. 

ing experienced personnel ever thinner has placed 

a seVere strain on us all. But we'll have to take 

it and like it. There;s a war going on. 

Ferry e:aa-nd Fwx:tioniDl 

Do you remember the difficulties encountered by 

the Air Corps when it ,::arried the mail in 1934? 

We have been doing a somewhat similar job with our 

Air Corps Ferrying Command, but on a much vaster 

canvas and with much more success and efficiency. 

There were cogent reasons why the Air Forces undertook 

the project of tranaporting airplanes from 

the factories to their points of departure from 

our shores. 

ObViously the British couldn't ~pare the pilots 

to do it. We could. 

Ferrying meant training on latest types for 

~ilots starved for equipment. 

An Air Corps Ferrying pool was more flexible and 

less expensive than staffs of civilian pilots under 

contract to individual factories, any of which 

might have to throw their pilots into idleness 

through a plant shut-down. 

Here is the record of the Air Corps Ferrying 

COnmllOO from June to October, 1941: in that initial 

period we moved over 900 planes from the West 

Coast to eastern terminals, with only two fatal 

accidents and at an average of two days en route 

as against eight days en route for the civilian 

ferry service. On a normal day, 40 planes were in 

transit, many of them piloted by boys fresh out of 

a twin-engine Advanced Flying School. To date, no 

plane ready to leave the factory has been delayed 

more than 24 hours, barring zero-zero weather. 

More than 300 ferry pilots have been absorbing excellent 

experience in concentrated doses. A pilot 

ordinarily makes five deliveries in a 3S day period, 

and he is permitted to make more if he wants 

to. 

Around The 

Wor ld? 

Except for our short range planes, the Air Corps 

Ferrying Command is capable of operating around 

the world. Its navigators are studying globes-- 

not maps--and they would take a bomber to Tibet or 

Little America if you gave them 48 hours' notice. 

In line with our hemisphere defense policy of 

forcing an enemy to run into our fist instead of 

our chin, we are guarding our Eastern approaches 

with Air Force stations from Iceland and Greenland 

to Labrador in the frozen North. to Georgetown, 

British Guiana on the tropical coast of South 

America: aerial sentinels guard our Western approaches 

from Alaska to the Philippines; and our 

Southern approaches, including the Panama Canal, 

are protected with a great ly augmented Car ibbean 

defense system, with both air and ground troops 

under an Air Corps officer, Gen. Frank Andrews. 

In the North Atlantic region, our most recent 

area of development, we are garrisoning eight 

large bases and four radio and weather stations 

4 

NOVEMBER 19-11 

~ 

/......

THF ATR FORCES NEWS LETTER 

,I 

I 

where 20 to 30 men will maintain emergency staging 

fields. 

In Alaska, we have a composite squadron conducting 

experimental cold weather tests at Ladd Field, 

Fairbanks; and a composite group of pursuit and 

medium and heavy bombardment at Elmendorf Field, 

Anchorage. Bases-are preparing at Metlakatla, 

Yakutat and Nome, while the Civil Aeronautics 

Board is constructing 10 fields at sites chosen by 

the Army along the Aleutian Islands aiming toward 

the defense of Dutch Harbor. 

Shifting back to the Atlantic Side, I could 

point out a few more places where Engineer troops 

are busy constructing fields: Bermuda, Jamaica, 

Antigua, Santa Lucia, Trinidad, Georgetown. 

By this time you are probably getting some idea 

of the scope of the Army Air Force activities and 

an understanding of the desire that comes over us 

sometimes to go away and catch up on our sleep. 

Observers ~ The Job 

But there are many others besides those of us il 

the States who would like to catch up a few days' 

s Ieep- -for instance the 78 Air Corps officers who 

are on duty as f... reign observers. They are the 

e)es and ears of the Air Staff. Their reports 

cane in from South America, Canada, Egypt, England, 

Germany, Russia, Morocco, Turkey, China, 

Singapore--almost any place you can name, and they 

bow to no adventurous foreign correspondent when 

it comes to the pursuit of new developments in 

Ankara or Karachi. From the information they furnish 

us, we are able to modify our present plans 

and set up future plans. 

OUr Air War Plans Section has a many-sided and 

never-ending task. It is continuously studying 

the economic set-up of possible enemy nations in 

order to determine what objectives are vital and 

vulnerable to air attack. The large object ives 

are broken down into smaller objectives--for example, 

a system of locks whose destruction would 

throw a whole water-way system out of operation. 

A large country may have 150 such targets requiring 

exhaust ive study. 

Suppose it is necessary to reinforce the Philippines 

immediately with several squadrons of heavy 

bombers. War Plans must figure out to the last 

detail how we can Ret them there safely and quickly. 

I don't think it would be tair to conclude without 

giving you a glance at the lessons we have 

learned about military aviation duting the conflict 

now entering its third year. Here are a few 

samples: 

The Army and the Navy must have the whole-hearted 

cooperation of the Air Force. Air units needed 

for direct and intimate functioning with army and 

navy forces should be under the commend of thos. 

forces. 

NOVEMBER 1941 

The full weight of air power must be available 

either for purely air operations or for the support 

of the naval or land operations, whichever 

may be of decisive importance at the time. This 

I 

is an express ion of the one essential pr inciple of 

air strategy, which is the concentration of the 

maximum force at the decisive time and place. 

The single-engine tighter, with its superior 

maneuverability, appears to hold the edge ~ver 

other fighter types. It should have every ounce 

of fire power it can carry without impairing 

necessary performance. The fighter during the day 

is more than a match for bombardment airplanes, 

but before long it must push its ceilin~ above 

40.000 feet--some say 50,000 feet--if it is to 

maintain this supremacy. 

Beabeu 

Ate The Wihnen 

Fighters can prevent the loss of 8 war, but the 

heavy boabers are required to win it. The heav)' 

bomber, in which type we lead the world by several 

laps, remains the backbone of air power. But 

since day bombers must expect savage treatment at 

t~ hands of hostile pursuit, and since night 

bombing, at present inaccurate and indiscriminate, 

cannot be decisive in itself, we must seek to 

build even greater speed, higher ceiling and 

stronger defensive armament into our forthcoming 

types. We are doing that. 

Parachute troops and air-borne infantry can be 

highly effective. Our own army is letting no 

grass grow under its feet on this score. Gliderborne 

troops have proved their value in Crete and 

the Air Corps is keeping in step with this development 

by the procurement of gliders and by training 

selected pilots in gliding and soaring. 

Dive bombers can achieve devastating results, 

although their use is often accompanied by heavy 

losses as compared with the horlzontal bombing we 

have always stressed. The A-24 dive bombers with 

which we are equipping our squadrons will outperform 

those of any foreign nation. 

Enlilted Pilots Needed 

Military pilots need not be officers. Accordingly 

we have created the grade of Aviation Student 

to train men who lack the educational require~nts 

for graduation as officers. Evefltually, 

20 per cent. of our pilot strength will consist 

of enlisted men. 

An aircraft warning net is iOOisoensable to the 

operation~ or defensive fighters and anti-alrcraft 

units, and it must be backed up by a huge force 0' 

trained civilian volunteers. Our flrst Air Defense 

Command, established at Mitchel Field, is 

7eild1ngthe wey In-nrt~~ - -- - - ---- 

Land and sea operations cannot succeed when the 

enemy has control of the air. In oAder to gain 

control of the alr, the enemy's aircraft are best 

delhroyed when a",tUAllyin the air or in tbe factory, 

(C.f'nrinued On re.e 14) 

5

BuudleN From Britain 

British ~adet Training Program 

By OUver Townsend 

DOi\'N among the palm trees and orange groves of 

America's deep South, far from the reach of 

the Luftwaffe, more than 2,500 Royal Air Force cadets 

are learning to spread their wings under the 

careful guidance of the Air Corps. And, to use 

their own expression, don't think they aren't 

"keen" about it 

The" lead ing aircraftsmen" --as Br itish flying 

cadets are called--have been sent to this country 

from all parts of the British Isles, and from all 

walks of British life, to achieve through American 

instruct ion the consncn ob ject ive of "doing the ir 

bit" for Br itain in the air. 

The 2,500 who are here now are part of a training 

program designed to turn out British pilots at 

a rate of well over 4,000 per year from Air Corps 

flying schools in the Southeast Training Center. 

Also in training here are approximately 900 British 

cadets who receive an R.A.F. course of instruction 

at six civil contract schools supervised 

by the British Air Ministry, and about 200 navigators, 

located at the Pan American navigation 

.school at Coral Gables, Florida. 

Get U.S. Course 

The British who train in Air Corps schools receive 

almost exactly the same course of instruction 

as that given United States aviation cadets. 

It consists of a five weeks' "reception course" at 

the Maxwell Field Replacement Center, 10 weeks in 

primary school, 10 in basic, and 10 more in advanced. 

The only variation from the standard Air 

Corps program comes in the ground school, where 

courses in R.A.F. procedure, aircraft recognition, 

radio code practice and current events are substituted 

for some of the work usually included in navigation, 

meteorology and mathematics. These latter 

subjects are included in an eight-week ~eliminary 

training course, known as the Initial Training 

Wing, given the cadets before they leave England. 

Enthusiasm for the American training course is 

general among the cadets. Particularly impressive 

to them is the high grade of U.S. flying, the high 

training standards maintained and the quality of 

Air Corps equipment. Most feel the planes they 

use and the instructors who teach them are "all 

that could be des ired." 

No less enthusiastic has been their reaction to 

the American world outside of the training fields. 

They descr ibe the Amer iean people as unusually 

friendly and much more sympa~hetic toward Great 

Britain than they had expected. 

From a social standpoint the cadets are a big 

success. Invitations to dinners, parties, picnics 

and dances come in constant ly- -at a rate which 

greatly exceeds the number of cadets available. 

Weekends almost invariably find the barracks deserted 

by two o'clock Saturday afternoon--unless 

midweek bad weather has made weekend flying necessary. 

Interesting as the British have found the 

"extra-curricular" phases of their training, it is 

the time spent learning to fly that really counts. 

And in this department they seem to be taking to 

the American program of instruction--somewhat different 

from the R.A.F. program--much better than 

had been expected. British liaison officers stationed 

at the schools say the cadets are progressing 

"extreme ly we 11". Amer ican irnitructorsgenerally 

agree with this view, and say the British are 

doing excellent work considering their strange environment 

and the slight differences in language_ 

Flight instructors at the schools, who perhaps 

come into closest contact with the British, find 

them to be on the whole an intelligent, interested 

and conscientious group, looking forward to the 

day when they can match the ir skill in the air 

with that of "Jerry". 

Instructors have found British reactions in the 

air to be approximately the same as those of Americans, 

and have experienced less difficulty in 

teaching the "aircraftsmen" than they thought they 

would. What trouble was encountered at first is 

gradually being eliminated as both instructors and 

cadets add to their experience. Some of thecadets 

have demonstrated unusual proficiency for 

flying, and have shown themselves capable of becoming 

real aces after their return to England. 

Want To Fly 

Ground school instructors find that, like American 

cadets, the R.A.F. trainees are more interested 

in the flying phase of their training than they 

are in the ground school. They are however, impressed 

by the "I.Q." of the average Br iton, and 

by his general knowledge and information. Some of 

them--especially engineering instructors--though. 

wish the British could have played with "Model 

T's" and small gasoline engines when they were 

younger, like most American boys do. Americans 

coming into engineer ing courses usually have a me- 

NOVEMBER 

/94' 

7


chanical background which aids them inmeasurably 

in grasping the fundamentals of the subject. The 

British, in many instances have had very little 

mechanical experience, and find the whole field 

new and strange. 

Cadets failing to qualify as pilots are sent to 

Canada where they are turned back over to the 

R.A.F. for navigation training or whatever disposition 

the British care to make. 

The R.A.F. cadets vary greatly in age, and in 

educational and vocational background. Ages range 

all the way from 18 to 33 with the average closer 

to the lower figure. A few are public school 

boys, and about five percent are college graduates. 

By far the most are products of the free 

British school system, many having graduated from 

what corresponds to American high school. A number 

were continuing their higher education when 

they enlisted in the Air Force. 

Cross-Section'Of 

Britain 

A few of the cadets are from titled families, 

but by far the most are clerks, farmers, machinists. 

and students who decided to do their bit for 

Britain in the air. They co~e from all parts of 

England, Scotland, Wales, and North Ireland. 

There are even a few volunteers from South Ireland. 

Surprising is the large number of former 

"bobbies" (British for "cop") who are taking 

flight training. A sizeable contingent of these 

are present at almost every school. 

Some, but not many, of the cadets have wives 

back in England. In some of the earlier classes 

the percentage of ma rr Ied trainees ran as high as 

20 percent. but in later classes this has dropped 

considerably, in some instances to below five percent. 

The average age of cadets has also dropped 

as additional classes .have been sent over. Instructors 

react favorably toward this, saying that 

in general younger men learn more quickly. 

About six percent of the aircraftsmen, although 

simply cadets over here, maintain noncommissioned 

off icer ranks in the R.A.F. and other branches of 

the Br it ish Army. Some of these are sergeants, 

and quite a few are corporals. Some saw service 

with the British Expeditionary Force in France, 

and came through the ordeal of Dunkirk. Those who 

did say they were greatly impressed with the force 

of the Luftwaffe. and it is partially due to this 

experience that they are now taking pilot training. 

They regard air superiority as essential. 

Organized Like U.S. Cadets 

Organization of the R.A.F. cadets is along the 

same lines as the organizat ion of Amer ican cadets. 

In other words, there are cadet captains, adjutants, 

and other cadet officers. Also, the upperclassmen, 

like American upperclassmen, are given 

disciplinary jurisdiction over the lower classes. 

Pay of the Britishers in training here runs 

around $55 to $60 per month. They also receive 

their food, living quarters, uniforms, laundry, 

shoe repairs and hair -c ut s , Much like Amer ican 

cadets, however, they are usually broke. 

The cadets, like the ir Amer ican counterparts, 

rise early and work late. Depending upon the 

school, they either get up at 5 or 5: 20 a .rn. and 

are busy in the air, in ground school, on the ath. 

letic field or on the drill area almost constantly 

until 4:30 in the afternoon. Evenings are spent 

studying. Under this schedule weekends are the 

cadets' only free time, and these too are sometimes 

forfeited when rain has interfered with 

flight training during the preceding week. 

In such spare moments as they do have, sightseeing 

is one of their favorite pastimes. Many have 

said they'd like to return some day when they have 

enough time to "sight-see" properly. In order to 

make a permanent record of their experiences here. 

a large number have taken up photography. PX's 

and camera stores in the vicinity of schools have 

all reported a run on photographic supplies since 

the arrival of the British. 

"Poll' Fans 

One of the things which amazes American officers 

most about the British cadets is their liking, and 

capacity for, good old American "poP". Orange pop 

seems to hold first place in popularity, with the 

various types of cola beverages running a close 

second. One Britisher quaffed 30 of these in one 

day. Flight instructors are constantly amazed at 

the cadets' ability to fly after enthusiastic popdrinking 

sessions at the canteen. 

At all of the schools R.A.F. trainees are being 

taught American games. Most like these games 

after they learn how to play them, especially 

softball, volleyball and basketball. All maint 

ain j however, that none quite compares with soccer. 

Soccer, cricket and some rugby are played at 

many of the schools, although these are not on the 

regular program. Most of the British are glad of 

the opportunity to learn Amer ican sports, "because 

it widens their athletic background "", 

Athletic programs at the schools also contain 

calisthenics, which are designed to develop the 

physical coordination so necessary to the successful 

pilot. 

Some of the instructors have not iced that the 

British do not have the fierce competitive approach 

to group athletics which Americans have 

come to associate with their sports. The British 

seem to play for the sake of playing rather than 

to win. Athletic directors are, however, very 

much impressed with the stamina of the British, 

and with their ability in such individual sports 

such as swimming and tennis. 

One of the habits of the R.A.F. trainees which 

has impressed civilians in nearby towns is their 

church attendance. Most of them, me.mers of the 

8 

NUVEMBER /94/

Church of England back home, rarely miss attending 

the Episcopal Church in this country. In the 

smaller towns the nunber of cadets in church sometimes 

exceeds the number of townspeople who are 

present. 

MUstaches Allowed 

Air Corps rules and regulations, upheld to the 

letter in most instances, have been relaxed by 

Maj. Gen. Walter R. Weaver, COJml8nding General of 

the Southeast Training Center, to the extent that 

the British cadets may retain their mustaches. 

The sight of mustaches of varying shades and density 

on the upper lips of cadets is a source of 

constant surprise to Air Corps instructors, who 

just can't get used to the idea. 

Also relaxed by General Weaver are the Air Corps 

rules applying to drill, saluting and commands. 

Under these relaxed rulings the British are permitted 

to march with the long jaunty stride and 

shoulder-high, full length arm-swing typical of 

Empire troops allover the world, and to salute 

their superior officers with the snappy British 

salute in which the soldier leans backward and 

brings the back of his right hand flat against his 

forehead. In coming to attention, they continue 

in the old style of br inging one foot high, then 

s lamming it down bes ide the other. 

The British cadets are no exception to the universal 

rule that women are of special interest to 

military men tne wor Id over. Amer ican girls they 

find to be unusually well-groomed and welldressed. 

They also believe they have more poise, 

are more natural, and have more vitality than do 

their British "cousins". On the question of comparable 

beauty, though, there is "no comnent". 

Food here, according to the cadets, is excellento-and 

there's all they can eat, and more. A 

number miss their favorite English dishes, and 

some of the primary schools have var ied menus in 

order to include the most popular. Two of considerable 

populariLy are lamb stew and kidney pie. 

Cooking they say is good, but "doesn't compare 

with that back home." 

~ny 

Will Receive Coami .. ions 

Of the cadets taking American courses at this 

time, approximately 2S to 30 percent will receive 

commissions upon graduation. The remainder will 

become Sergeant Pilots. Commissioning is entirely 

in the hands of the Roya 1 Air Force, but it is 

usually done largely on the basis of the record 

the cadet has made in training. 

Sergeant Pilots, although noncoms, receive almost 

the same amount of pay as do commissioned pilots. 

and have virtually the same responsibilities 

of command. A Serge4nt Pilot is completely in 

charge of his plane, and exercises author1~y over 

any coamissioned personnel serving under him in a 

bombardier or navigator capacity. 

Last month a special inspection party composed 

NOVEMBER 194' 

of high-ranking U.S. and British officers visited 

schools giving flight training to the R.A.F. It 

was the general consensus of this group that the 

training program w.s progressing in a very satisfactory 

manner, and individual members of the 

party expressed personal gratification with the 

results. 

Air Marshall A. T. Harris, chief of the Royal 

Air Force Mission to the United States, said that 

in his opinion the cadets were doing "exceptionally 

well". Air Marshall A.G.R. Garrod, Director 

of Training for the R.A.F., was also pleased, and 

stated that he was very glad British cadets had 

been given the opportunity to train in this country, 

where so much more time and attention could 

be given them than was possible in Great Britain 

at this time. 

Training Pl'OIram....gnific.nt" 

Group Captain Lord G.N. Dougl.s Hamilton, special 

aide to Air Marshall Garrod, said the Air 

Corps training being given R.A.F. cadets was "magnif 

icent" • Other memoers or tne party were impressed 

by the I1ving quarters, mess ha11s, and 

recreational facilities of many of the schools. 

They also reacted very favorably to the American 

physical development program, which they said was 

working wonders in equipping cadets for the strain 

of combat flying. 

Brig. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer, Chief of the 

Air Corps Training and Operations Division, was a 

member of the party. He concurred in the British 

reactions to the training program, and stated that 

he thought it was progressing better than had been 

expected. 

Newest of the Air Corps primary schools being 

used by the British is Carlstrom Field, located at 

Arcadia, Florida. It is a civil contract school 

operated by the Riddle Aeronautical Institute, a 

subsidiary of the Embry-Riddle Company. Located 

9S miles southeast of Tampe, it has facilities for 

approximately 440 cadets. 

Latest 

Improvements 

Laid out in the general circular plan of Randolph 

Field, it is equipped with all the latest 

improvements. The barracks, mess hall, canteen, 

and classroom buildings are especially attractive. 

These are all constructed of solid concrete block 

in a modii ied Spanish style. The court in the 

center of the building area contains a swimming 

pool, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, 

and a patio which can be used for dancing. The 

barracks are divided into rooms, four men to a 

room. These run completely through the 30-foot 

wide buildings, and have windows on each end. 

Other schools giving primary training to the 

British are the Lakeland School of Aeronautics, 

located at Lake lard, Florida; theAlabama Institute 

(Continued on P••• 24) 

9

C 

I 

~ . 

fjQ 

III 

....

Stopping the Enemy 

The Air Defense System In Aedon 

By Capt. Oliver F. Holden 

THE air defense test of the First Interceptor 

Command, conducted along the Atlantic Coast 

during OCtober, was a revelation not only to civilians 

but to Army and Air Forces personnel of all 

ranks. 

Outside the small group which has been working 

for years in development of the system, belief is 

widespread that it has been borrowed outright from 

the British. Actually the two systems were developed 

along parallel lines and while there have 

been interchanges of inforDBtion, the Amer ican system 

of aircraft warning in the continental United 

States has no duplicate in the world and cannot 

have. 

The reason is that the United States has more 

telephones than all the rest of the world put together, 

which means a greater diffusion of commercial 

telephones, a greater coverage of territo~y. 

The American aircraft warning system is built upon 

a framework provided by the existence in this 

country of a single company, the American Telephone 

and Telegraph Company, which with its subsidiaries 

operates a unified system of communications 

covering most of the continent, with few 

blind spots outside of such areas as the Southwestern 

desert. 

Off icers Aa.:red 

The system itself amazed those who saw it for 

the first time. High-ranking officers from Washington 

and important officials of the civilian defense 

organization were -heard to murmur that it 

was like something Orson Welles might have concocted. 

There was an important difference, a difference 

which Maj. Gen. Herbert A. Dargue, commanding 

general of the First Air Force, put into 

two words in a comment to Brig. Gen. John C. 

MeDonnell, commanding the First Interceptor Command. 

They were: "It works." 

Here's how it works: 

Forty thousand observers, civilian volunteers, 

took part in the test at 1,600 observation postsdistributed 

five to eight miles apart in a strip 

averaging 125 miles in width from North of Boston 

to South of Norfolk. 

At each observation post one or more observers 

was on duty at all times, shifts being arranged 

locally. Each observation post was located with 

convenience to a telephone as a prime requisite. 

When a plane of any kind passed within sight or 

sound of an observation post the observer noted, 

on a form supplied for the purpose, the nUDber of 

planes observed; whether they were single-motored, 

bi-motored, muiti-motored or unknown; whether 

"very high", ..high", II low", "very low" or "unknown' 

(no effort to estimate in feet) whether 

seen or heard, direction in which sighted, estimated 

distance from the post and direction in 

which flying. The observer might be lifting the 

receiver of his telephone while jotting this down. 

B.. 

Telephone Right-Of-Way 

The switchboard light for an observer's telephone 

is of a special color, so the switchboard 

operator will know the caller is entitled to send 

a collect telephone call to the army with no delay. 

An "army f lash" cannot be sent on other 

telephones. If this were not so patriotic American 

citizens, if they thought they had sighted an 

enemy, would Jam the telephone system with so DBny 

messages that none could get through. It would be 

cCllllp8rable with the packing of French and Belgian 

roads with refugees who unwittingly aided their 

enemies by creating traffic Jams that blocked the 

movement of their own troops. 

The observer, however, using his regular home or 

office telephone, calls "Army Fl..h!" The operator 

asks no questions; she connects him with the 

local long distance board where he is immediately 

connected with a direct wire to the nearest filter 

board. 

Ten seconds, on the average, after he says" Army 

Flash" a-plotter at the Filter Board replies 

"Army. Go ahead, please." 

So he reads his notations from the slip of papaper. 

No time wasted in discussion; no explanations. 

If he says "four planes" she places a small disk 

the size of a shirt button, bearing the number 

"4", upon a black spot on the Filter Board, which 

is really an irregularly shaped table constituting 

a one-inch to one-mile map of the filter area. 

The black spot indicates the location of the observation 

post. 

.Pi.-" 

8m. TJPe And Location 

If he says "multi-motored" she adjusts the 

bottom part of a "piJl' (small movable standard) in 

her hands so that the letter ..,.is upperlllOSt. If 

he reports "Very high" she adjusts the middle s.ction 

to show "VH'. If he reports "Seed' she ad- 

Justs the point of the pip to show green. If the 

NO PEMBER 

r94' 

11

he reports direction and distance from the post 

the plotter places the pip on the board at the 

place and pointing in the direction reported. So 

the first observer's report is on the board, put 

there more quickly than it was possible to explain 

it. The plotter says "Thank you' and is ready for 

the next. 

That is fast work but so far not impressive. 

There's so much more to be done and so little time 

to do it. If the plane really is an enemy, 

sighted perhaps 100 miles from its objective, it 

probably is moving at five miles a minute and that 

means there's only twenty minutes from the time of 

sighting to do the following things: 

Get complete information to headquarters. 

Ascertain if the plane is friendly or enemy. 

Ascertain exactly where he is, including his altitude 

in feet. 

Ascertain his speed. 

Ascertain where he will be when our own pursuit 

can reach him. 

Get orders to the airdrome in the best position 

to fight off the enemy. 

Get the planes off the ground. 

Get up to the enemy's level. 

Go where the enemy is. 

Knock him down. 

To complicate matters, much of the information 

already received and much that will berece ived 

later is and will be inaccurate. For instance, if 

an observer reports a flight three miles away it 

is quite likely to be two or four instead of 

three. And "High" or "Very higH' are far from accurate 

terms. (What are those old jokes about 

"How high is high?" and "How long is a piece of 

string?') But planes going up to fight an enemy 

must know exactly how high. 

Must Eliminate 

Inaccuracies 

Filtering out the inaccuracies - evaluation and 

interpretation - is the task of the filter board 

plotters. 

Before the first observer completes his report 

another observer will have seen the plane or 

planes. His light flashes at the filter board. 

The plotter answers - in a few seconds another pip 

is on the table. Then another and perhaps another, 

near each other and pointing in different 

directions. 

By this time another plotter, standing behind 

the one seated at the table and taking reports, 

knows these are all the same flight. He also 

knows that planes ordinarily fly in straight 

lines - the shortest distance between points over 

hostile territory. So he removes the pips and 

places an arrow at the point where the plane 

really was. The inaccuracies as to position and 

direction thus are self-eliminating. 

Most of the observers will report the correct 

number of planes, so the plotter takes the major- 

12 

numbered and lettered pieces of cardboard, which 

he attaches to a metal frame which he moves ahead 

of the line of arrows which begins to form on the 

board. This stand describes the flight - perhaps 

"4VHlI', meaninr four planes very high multimotored." 

By the time fifteen or sixteen reports are in, 

an experienced officer, knowing the averages in 

this matter, can estimate within about 500 feet 

how many "very highs" and "highs" mean 10,000 

feet. Sixteen" highs" and two "very highs" mean a 

ve~y different altitude from nine "highs" and nine 

"very highs". 

Colored Arra1tSUsed 

Arrows of three colors are used and the color is 

changed every five minutes. This automatically 

provides an estimate of speed. Without an estimate 

of the enemy's speed it would be impossible 

to decide where to go to meet him. 

The pips are information. The arrows are military 

intelligence. On a balcony overlooking the 

filter are tellers who watch every move on the 

board. When one sees an arrow. or new stand. she 

speaks into,the mouthpiece of her headset, reporting 

the military intelligence on the filter 

board. It is immediately duplicated on the operations 

board at the Information Center, which is 

regional headquarters. The filter board and operations 

board may be in adjoining rooms, but as 

there ordinarily are two or more filter areas in a 

region the filter board may be in another city. 

Direct wires, used for no other purposes, are 

utilized, however, so there is no difference in 

the time of transfer. 

The military intelligence on the operations 

board is not yet far enough advanced for tactical 

action, however. We still do not know if the 

planes reported are friendly or enemy. It will be 

necessary to find out - the observer wasn't even 

asked to give an opinion because even an expert in 

airplane silhouettes could not give an opinion 

that would have any value. 

Liaison Officer. Present 

On a balcony overlooking the operations board 

are liaison officers from the Navy, Civil Aeronautics 

Administration, Bomber Command, and Air Support 

Command. They are in constant communicat ion 

with their own organizations as to planes in the 

air. As soon as they see an unidentified flight 

on the board they check to see if it belongs to 

them. If not - it is an enemy. They report their 

findings to the raid clerk, who has a table beside 

the operations board. If friendly the raid clerk 

puts a green tab on the metal stand; if enemy a 

red tab. 

Also on the balcony overlooking the operations 

board is the controller or control officer, who i. 

the tactical commander of the region, acting for 

(Continued on Pa_e 14) 

NOVEMBER /94/

NEW AIR~RAFT 

FOR THE ARMY AIR FOR~ES 

AT.9 

AToll 

EWplanes delivered to the Air Corps for ser- equipped with retractable landing gear. Manu- 

testing during the past monthare the AT-9 factured by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, it is 

Nvice 

and AT-H, both twin-engine advancedtrainers. designed for the training of pilots of multi- 

The AT-!! 1s a low-wing, all-metal monoplane engine fighters and bombers. According to plans 

manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation it is expected to facilitate the transitional 

for training a crew of three or four men. It is training necessary in the transfer of pilots from 

equipped with flexible guns and bombracks. The single-engine planes to the latest types of multiwing 

span is approximately 47 feet, the length 35 engine tactical aircraft. 

feet. Seats for the instructor and the student pilot 

Equipped with a retractable landing gear and are placed side by side in the AT-9. The plane 

twin tail, the AT-!! is powered with two nine- also incorporates the samegeneral performance and 

cylinder, 450 horsepowerPratt and Whitneyengines. operating characteristics of modernmulti-engine 

Propellers are two-bladed, and have a diameter canbat planes, and includes manyof the same inof 

approximately eight feet. The plane will be struments. Poweredwith two 280 horsepower radial 

used for the specialized training of bombardiers air-cooled engines, the plane has a wing span of 

and gurmers, 40 feet, and weighs more than two and one-half 

The AT-9is also a low-wing, all--metal monoplane tons.

DEFENSE 0 00 (Continued From P.~. 12) 

the commanding officer. Facing him across the operations 

board is a status board, which tells him 

how many planes are available at any moment at 

each airdrome in his region. When he sees the red 

tab he quickly decides which airdrome is in the 

best position, both as to location and planes 

available, to effect an interception and he immediately 

orders into the air enough pursuit to do 

the job. 

It has taken me longer to write it and you 

longer to read it, but, on the average all these 

things are done within three minutes. One and a 

half minutes from time of sighting to the decision; 

another one and a half minutes for transmittal 

of the order. It's mightyquickwork but 

during that time the enemy has traveled fifteen 

miles, 

Informat ion Center Guides Planes 

Once his order is given the controller is 

throuah, but the planes now have to find and meet 

the enemy. Obviously the pilots of fast pursuit 

planes haven't time to circle over rivers or other 

landmarks finding their way; they haven't time to 

make instrument calculations; they have no way to 

ascertain any change of course the enemy may make 

while they're hunting him. So a man on the 

cround, in a little cubby hole at the Information 

Center, guides the pursuit to the enemy, even mak. 

ing use of any cloudy areas that might help - or 

dodging any that the enemy might utilize. 

While the pilots are getting aboard their planes 

a radio officer is clearing a radio network for an 

intercept officer to talk directly with the pursuit 

commander in the air. Tellers at the filter 

board begin reporting direct to the intercept officer 

the flight he is to intercept - and a moment 

later the flight he is guiding. Weather information, 

including wiOO velocities ..t various aU!-" 

tudes, begins pouring into him from the weather 

officer. 

With gadgets ope rat ing on the same general pr incip1es 

as slide rules he calculates the point. at 

which our pursuit can cut off the enemy. He talks 

constantly with the flight commander. He guides 

the pursuit to the interception point. Two or 

three miles away the flight commander probably 

will see the enemy. He f lashes back a code word 

to that effect. The intercept officer cuts off. 

he is through. The fliers are on the ir own now.' 

They react in split seconds and can't take time to 

talk with anyone. 

Get 

In The Air Quickly 

It takes the fliers about one and a half minutes 

to get into their planes and take off after receiving 

orders. Another seven and a half miles 

for the enemy. It takes about two and a half 

minutes to climb 1,000 feet and assemble. At this 

point the enemy will have traveled 35 miles from 

point of sighting. If, the enemy is f lying at 

10,000 feet it may take another 3.4 minutes to 

climb up to him. That's 52 miles, but our pursuit 

will have advanced 15 while climbing. 

Less than ten minutes to reach the enemy after 

that climb - not much leeway but that is the measure 

of the speed in the fastest military maneuver 

ever seen on this earth - the interception of 

fast bombing planes. Ten minutes if we're lucky 

and sometimes we hope to have fifteen or twenty, 

but there aren't any seconds to spere and the Interceptor 

Command is working to cut dawn the time 

frr the interception. 

The October test was threefold in purpose. 

First it was for the training of personnel. 

Second it was to ascertain haw the syatem could be 

improved and speeded up. Third it was to inform 

the public as to what was being done to protect it 

from possible raids that might come at any time 

without warning and to shaw haw the public could 

help. 

Lieut. Gen. Delos C. Eamons expressed himself as 

well-pleased with the whole test, .:with the work 

of General Dargue of the First Air Force, General 

McDonnell of the First Interceptor Command, of 

their staffs and assistants, and of the military 

personnel and civilian volunteers who gave their 

time and services. 

One aspect of the test, not unexpected, was the 

difference in time elements at the beginning of 

the test and at the conclusion. For practical 

purposes the nation's air defense needs equal 

speed at all times; it must keep people in training 

and available for that unknown moment when 

they may be needed. 

~----- 

EXPANSION 000 (Cont .inued From Page oS) 

rather than on their own airdromes as was so 

widely believed. It is too easy to disperse or 

conceal aircraft on the ground and protect them 

with individual parapets so that losses will not 

be critical. 

Air Power Versus Sea Power 

Where a ir power and nava 1 power have come into 

conf 1ict in the present war, there has not been a 

single instance where naval power has prevailed 

over air power, whereas the invasion of Norway, 

the sinking of the Bismarck, the invasion of Creta 

aOO other engagements have provided examples of 

air power prevailing over nava I power. Sea power, 

incidentally, is no longer synonymous with naval 

power. Sea power is a combination of air and 

naval power. Its vital importance has never been 

more clear 1y recognized than it is today. 3 

Finally, air power is a factor of utmost importance, 

at times of supreme importance in war--any 

kiOO of war.

EVERYBODY'S GOING TO THE MOVIES 

By ~apt. Nathaolel F. Silsbee 

T HE Army Air Forces are going to the mov ies on 

B grand scale. They say one picture is worth 

ten thousand words, and what you once see, you 

can't "unsee". In these two phrases is wrapped up 

the whole philosophy of the modern trend toward 

the use of pictures, charts, maps and diagrams as 

effective teaching aids. During the past few 

years this has received a tremendous impetus by 

the adaptation of moving picture sound films and 

film strips to class instruction. 

The War Department for some time has re"ognized 

the great value of visual aids in easing the 

teac.'~g problem, particularly in view of the very 

rapid expansion, which has put a great strain on 

the inst~uction staffs of the various branches. A 

program for furnishing specially prepared illustrations 

to the instructors in the field is now 

well under way. Field Manual 21-5 "Military 

Trainin~', and Training Circular #34, War Department 

1941, contain instruction in the proper integration 

of training films within the training 

schedule. FM 21-6 "List of Publications for 

Training" contains a list of the training films 

released to date. 

Film Units Established 

To meet the instruct ion problems which arose 

with the tremendous expansion in the training of 

aviation cadets and airplane mechanics and technicians, 

in the autumn of 1940 the Chief of the 

Air Corps provided for the establishment of four 

Training Film Preparation Units. These are fully 

staffed with competent visual aid specialists, and 

it is their job to whip the vast amount of 

material into shape for proper presentation. 

These units are located at the technical schools 

at Chanute Field, Illinois, and Lowry Field', 

Denver, and at the flight training centers at Maxwell 

Field, Montgomery, Ala. and Randolph Field, 

Texas. Each of these units has a two-fbld division 

of its work: (1) to prepare plans for motion 

picture sound films, and (2) plans for film strips. 

The Training and Operations Division, Office 

of the Chief of the Air Corps, has prepared a list 

of some 58 Training Film Projects (all sound), 

some of which are now available, with several 

others in the works. A "First Priority" group of 

NOI/EMBER I94/ 

24 sound films includes fairlY complete projects 

covering Celestial and Aerial Navigation, Aerial 

BonDs and Borroi ng Technique, Aircraft Propellers, 

the Automatic Pilot, Aircraft Identification, with 

shorter ones on Aircraft Radio, Instrument Landings, 

Weather, etc. 

11 In "Second Pr ior ity" Group 

A "Second Priority" group of 11 sound films includes 

a series on Airplane Structures; on Airplane 

Hydraulic Brakes; on Teletype Printers; on 

Aircraft Machine Guns and Cannons and Machine Gun 

Sights, with others on Pursuit Aviation, Air Reconnaissance, 

High Altitude Flying, etc. 

The "Third Pr ior ity" group contains 23 sound 

films of a miscellaneous character, including 9 on 

flight techniques, acrobatics, formation flying, 

etc., with others on Turbo-Superchargers, Aircraft 

Icing, Air Corps Supply System, etc. 

A second type of official visual instruction aid 

is the film strip. These can be made invaluable 

for emphasizing certain details covered more gen- 

~rally in the sound films. Equipment and techniques 

may be clearly illustrated in the form of 

still pictures, drawings, charts, cartoons and the 

like. Obscure parts can be emphasized for teaching 

nomenclature and functioning, and motion can 

be arrested for detailed study. 

When sufficient visual aid equipment is available, 

it is contemplated that in connect ion with a 

given course a complete sound film would be used 

at the beginning for orientation purposes. This 

would be followed by the use of film strips to 

cover the subject in detail, and at the end or the 

course the sound f11m may be shown again, as an 

effective method of review. 

Although the advantages of the use of sound 

films and film strips are fairly obvious and quite 

generally recognized, it may be of interest to indicate 

some of the War Department reasons for regarding 

such visual aid as valuable time savers 

and also as methods of improving the quality of 

instruct ion. 

They concentrate attention by showing only the 

essential action or subject. They bring the demonstrations 

of techniques and exercises directly 

into the classroom, and the same demonstration can 

15

e shown repeatedly if necessar,. Films on the 

use and care of new equipment, such as a new type 

of engine, propeller, carburator, etc. can be 

shown in advance of its arrival. (The War Department 

is getting increased cooperation from the 

various manufacturers along this line.) 

Instruction at all training centers is stand. 

ardized, and the services of expect instructors 

and the.most highly trained personnel are utilIzed 

in demonstrating the methods and t~chniques illustrated 

on the film. This insures that all students, 

regardless of location, haVe constant visual 

access to the latest approved methods as a 

standard in attaining their training objectives. 

Although the training films and film strips are 

so des igned that the picture its.lf will clear ly 

ilnicate the exact lesson to be taught, there is 

plenty of scope for the Lnd Iv Idua I instruetor I 

especially in connection with the film strips. 

Even in the case of the sound film, where the instruction 

is completely integrated with the 

pictures, the topnotch instructor will always add 

to the lesson by introductory remarks or discussion 

a~ comment afterwards. 

Mechanics 

Series Complete 

One of the most complete projects in connect ion 

with training film strips is the series for instruction 

in Airplane Mechanics. This will eventually 

cover 118 film strip subjects, divided into 

nine groups as follows: a) Film Strips for use in 

Basic Instruction, Airplane Mechanics - 13 film 

strips, including Maintenance Policies and 

Functions of Air Corps, Maintenance Publications, 

Maintenance Records and Reports, Aircraft Materials' 

etc. b) For use in Airplane Structures (10). 

c) For Hydraulics and Miscellaneous Equipment 

(14). d) For propellers (13). e) For Instruments 

(IS). f) For Engines (12). g) For Aircraft Electrical 

Systems (17). h) For Carburation(l1). i) 

For Aircraft Engine OPeration and Test (13). 

Films must be fitted editorially to the requirements 

of the various Air Corps schools, such as 

primary, basic and advanced flight training, 

aerial bombardment, navigation, etc. The Randolph 

Field Training Film FTepnration Unit, for example, 

is charged for the most part with the production 

of films to be used in connection with the pilot 

training program. 

Among other things, young aviation cadets have 

to be taught the things they must NOT do. To put 

this across effect ively, the pictorial art of Jack 

Zumwalt, commercial artist and cartoonist of Dallas, 

was pressed into service. ~ result was the 

creation of Aviation Cadet Knucklehead of the Army 

Air Corps, who's never been right in his life and 

whose motto is "Keep 'em Falling." 

Originally forming part of a fib! strip entitled 

"[)(t\"TS", designed to warn student pilots against 

conunon errors, Knucklehead provides the perfect 

examples of when, where and how NOT to do things. 

16 

The pictures of the mythical bonehead proved so 

attention-arresting that he soon became a "starlet 

of the first magnitude", appearing in scores of 

scenes. 

A still wider influence for Dodo Knucklehead was 

found when some of the more str iking scenes on the 

film strips took the form of Randolph Field News 

Releases with glossy photos. These have been 

widely used by the press, and public interest in 

the pilot training program stimulated. One amusing 

example is entitled "Don't Concentrate on 

Maps" and shows "The Flying Frankenstein" about to 

crash into the tower of a building labelled "City 

Hall, Altoona", with his face plunged into a 

sectional map and exclaiming, "I should be in the 

vicinity of Altoona!" 

Libraries At Each Station 

The procedure governing the requisition, supply 

and distribution of training films and film strips 

in Army Air Force is found in A.A.F. Regulations 

No. 65-4, of September 17, 1941. Training Film 

Libraries will be established at each Air Corps 

Control Depot in the United States. Sub-libraries 

and distributing points will be operated by the 

COlllll8nding General, Air Force Combat Conmand, and 

the Chief of the Air Corps, at each Air Force 

headquarters, Air Corps flight training and technical 

training center, tact ical school and other 

points at the discretion of the Commanding General 

AFtX:: and Chief AC. 

DUIICAN FIELD 

The above design, createa by artist T. ]. 

Hinnant II, will be carried on the cars of men 

and employees of Duncan Field in order to 

illustrate their part in the program to "Keep 

'Em Flying". 

NOVli.MBER /94/

The Middletown Program 

Training Craftsmen for the AIr Depot 

By Corporal George Eekels 

Seeo.d Tra.sport sq•• d.... 

EJ 

comprehenSiVe four-fold program for specialized 

training in the field of engineering, 

A 

supply, administration, and military science has 

been developed and placed in operation by the 

Middletown Air Depot. 

Typical of the training programs is that developed 

in the field of mechanics and engineering, 

in which the need was most urge.nt. It is a continuing 

program, based on a training course of 

four months duration. 

Executing the program,. under the supervision of 

Captain Herbert A. Pelton, is a complete staff 

geared to meet demands for speed - efficiently and 

safely. The staff includes a personnel administrator 

and a technical librarian who also supervises 

compilat ion of texts and technical mater ials. 

We have a civilian training director, two shop 

coordinators, a specialist on job analysis, a director 

of apprentice training, and about twenty 

clerks. 

TClIlm8hipInstructors Used 

~~ ~~~!!!!.!!.!!!!.!!'!!!!!!!.!!.!!! 

Key men on the staff are 188 part-time instructors. 

There are twenty full-time instructors as- 

~igned by the Derry Township School District, 

(Hershey, t'ennsylvania is in Derry Townllhip)whiCh 

pays their salaries. 

The school district's expenses are subsidized by 

the COIDIIOowealthof fennsylvania and, for national 

defense training, ..subsidy was also allotted by 

the United States Office of Education. Normal 

salaries of instructors are paid by the State 

while payr.._ntfor overt ime h made from federal 

funds. Derry Township instructors also aided in 

establishing engineering training courses and in 

editing textbooks produced for the emergency program. 

Key mechanics and foremen in Middletown Air 

uepot's anopa outlined and wrote the .raining 

courses. 

The senior mechanic or foreman of each department 

supervises training in his own sphere of 

specialization. Under this plan every man in the 

depot is being trained to be aome kind of specialiat. 

Four-fifths of all. training at the depot is 

in engineering. subjects. We use the pyramidal 

system of instruction in each department. By that 

we mean that aa an individual student progresses 

toward a higher lev~l of experience, he teaches 

what he haa already learned to the newer men behind 

him. The values of this system are manifold. 

It teac.hes teaDIIIJork.It helps the instructor. It 

helps the experienced mechanic. It certainly aids 

the newer men. It saves time for foremen and department 

heads. 

Training practical 

Vocational training at Middletown is a practical 

synthesis of instruction in working shops and adjoining 

classrooms. This plan allows trainees to 

gain "on-the-job" experience on material they will 

work on after their period of basic instruction is 

completed. Six portable classrooms have been 

built adjacent to toe aepot's engineer ing shops. 

Each classroom has its own d18intenance crew. Wide 

windows and bright fluorescent ceiling lamps provide 

adequate lighting for lectures, blackboard 

discussions, meetings, and specialist training, 

twice around the clock. 

In intensified technical training, one of the 

greatest needs is for practical instruction 

methods. Wide usage is made of visual aids and 

mock-up boards at the Middletown Training center. 

These exce llent dev ices increase the II see ing 

range" of students. For example, as many as fifty 

students at one time may carefully examine a board 

showing the complete scheme of the electrical 

system for the B-18 Bomber. By pulling a switch, 

cut into the circuit, course instructors may 

short-circuit the board and then, as a test, designate 

a trainee to find the trouble. Large numbers 

of students may examine similar boards showing 

a B.l8A hydraulic layout, instrument panels, 

and so on. 

An obsolete and surveyed plane hss been rebuilt 

and used to train mechanics to taxi and start 

enginei. Use is also made of training filOll,produced 

by the Maintenance CODlll8ndat Wright Field. 

These include titl~s on aircraft electrical 

systems, propeller installation., and engine 

.mechanics. The Middletown Air Depot serves as a 

control center to distribute films to the fields 

served. 

writing Own 

Texta 

When defense training classrooms were first 

opened at the depot, no textbooks containing the 

required speci~lized information were available 

anywhere. None l had been written that was suitable. 

Textbook conpilers of the future may well 

look to the original work done by the pioneers of 

Middletown for guidance. Men there are writing 

their own course.outlines and texts. The ~epot 

NOVEMBER '94' 

17

THE AIR FORCES NliWS LETTER 

has in use complete equipment for photostat developing 

and printing. 

The effectiveness of the Middletown plan is revealed 

by statistics. Early in 1941, as the program 

started, the training staff worked day and 

night, building up course outlines and text books; 

selecting qualified instructors; and forming schedules. 

At the start of the expansion of the 

training effort, hundreds of new general mechanic 

helpers were being trained in basic principles of 

maintenance, besides somP. apprentices and a number 

of younger men assigned from the National Youth 

Administrat ion. By the end of Septerrber, 1941 the 

school had graduated a large nurrber of basically 

trained general mechanic helpers. The general 

plan was to allot 60% of each man's time to "onthe-job 

training" and 40% to formalized training 

in the individual's particular trade. 

It has been impossible to procure mechanics 

skilled in the trades used in the air depots since 

industry has already absorbed these men. Therefore 

it was necessary to employ people whose only 

recommendation was that they had worked at some 

trade for not less than six months. Fortunately 

there has been a steady supply of such men due to 

the fact that the repair depot lies in a great 

industrial complex, centering in Harrisburg (Dauphin 

county) and spreading outward over several 

adjoining countries. Here tt~re is a great backlog 

of available manpower. High selectivity was 

used as the training program was launched. 

Training Begins At Once 

Procedure for enter Lng the goverrurent's aircraft 

maintenance service (also true in the case of 

training for occupations in technical supply and 

administration) is much the same as governs entrance 

to employment in any federal bureau. About 

1500 candidates must be interviewed for 1200 vacancies. 

The mechanic is assigned to a section. 

His training begins at once. When it is discovered 

that a man does not have aptitude for training 

under an or iginal as signrrent , he is given a second 

change in another specialized field. If he is not 

suited for any type of aircraft work he is discharged. 

After about six months the trainee is eligible 

for promotion if his record is excellent. In half 

a year he has had about four months' formal training 

and two months' practical experience in the 

shop. When promoted he becomes a junior aircraft 

mechanic. When he is again promoted he becomes a 

journeyman mechanic. 

To record trainees' skill, knowledge, personality, 

and general aptitude, a comprehensive progress 

report ing system has been introduced in the form 

of a card index. A report of each student's work 

in the shop and in the c La s sro crn is made each 

month by his immediate supervisors. Introduced as 

a visual aid is a color-tab system which reveals 

at a glance the individual's current status. The 

system also shows the progress made in a whole department, 

or in a single trade, or under'one des 

ignat ion. 

Development Speed Important 

Speed of individual development is also important. 

The progress report shows this on a monthby-month 

basis. The color code for grading quality 

of performance is: blue, excellent; purple, 

good; orange, fair; red, unsatisfactory. When, 

for example, a sub-depot requires thirty trained 

mechanics for emergency or permanent ass ignment, 

the engineering officer can determine which men 

are qualified and available, in a very few minutes. 

Advancement to higher positions in other posts 

may be thought of as a function of "blueness" of 

record, although administrators consider fully 

other factors, such as whether transfer to a distant 

post in the control area would constitute a 

hardship for the individual or his family. 

Further, all of the men who have shown excellence 

in performance cannot be held ready for transfer. 

Some of them must be retained in order not to 

weaken the local production efficiency. 

Similar problems have arisen in the field of administration, 

especially with respect to the 

standardization and handling of records which 

could be expected to grow to massive proportions 

week by week. The officer appointed for this type 

of training has also been given command of a still 

unexecuted plan to establish a military college at 

the depot, where specialized officers may be 

trained. This school, like others to be founded 

at other posts, will be a sort of extension center 

for enlisted men considered for commissions. This 

phase of training is still in the explorative 

stage. 

Spec ia 1 Comme nda t ion 

So capable has conduct of the training program 

by officers at Middletown Air Depot been considered 

that spec ial commendat ion has recent ly been 

made by an expert consultant to the Secretary of 

War. An idea has grown to maturity and produced 

definite results in less than twelve months. 

\\'hatevf:rdefense needs of the future may be, the 

Air Corps' training section at Middletown is 

ready. This is the answer to a question that had 

to be answered in record time. Thousands of 

skilled mechanics trained at Middleto\l.n are already 

employed at bench, at engine, at lathe, in 

supply warehouses. In the months to come, thousands 

of others will go up to the line to work for 

national defense. This vast army of trained civilian 

technical experts will IHerE.!)), 'keep' em 

flying." 

18 

NUVl ...MlJl:R 

IV41

~ •• 0' ,_ c•• ra. •... tralni ... pilot. in 

... _ ..1.1 , .... 1')" dat •• beck to .orld War I. a. 

... , ... tud •• of .-chine ClaW in a.rial com- 

"t. "t ju.t a. tt. actual ar_.nt of heavy- 

•• 1 -.chi ...... and .. rial cannon now in use 

___ t pie.. 18 '.1' .... rior to the one 01' 

t_ r.ted 1_ which ar-.cl planes of the 

fint _Id _' ••0 i. t .. new trainiOl equipment 

f. __ efficient tMn the firat lun cameras. 

,. , tlw Air Corpe ia putH ... into use its new 

._ ai ... point ca.r., t" asAP, .0 named 

•••••• of it. opt ical .ptea, which IIhoW. in the 

, ....... not onl)" tlw t.r.et of the lunner but also 

• picture of tt. ailhtiOl appar.t .. used. and re- 

.... beth of t .... on .ach h_ of film taken. 

In addition, tt. new .qui~nt ha•• n overrun de- 

.1ce~which lceepethe came... loi ... after the pilot 

...... firi for a pred.t.r.ined time. to record 

"'t after t. ea•••• to fir •• 

III, Be Ulad In ee.bat 

lar Uer lun camera. _re IIIOUntedon machine gun 

-.unI., nece•• itatine removalof pert of the arma- 

_nt ,.but today'. -camera. are fixed b.hind the 

1_I,bl., .0 that the plane 818Y carry it. full 

.....I•• nt of I in acldition to it. r.cordina 

...,.... 8)" this tM ea.'" .y be carr ied 

lato act_I eoab.t, and works .1aJltaneoualy with 

... _. to ... ...,ide • record of tt. eCllll»at. llere 

.... 'Ia •• rrun d."ie. i. an advantace, for the 

"I ... , '011_ .n ....., pl... dwn to ita cra.h 

elt•• it ,... out of control, .nd tt. e•• ra will 

.... , ... takina pictu .... of it, .fter he has 

..... U..illl hb ,_. 

,.. ... All' Corps OSAP c•• ra is electrically 

..... equipped with a 50-foot fil •• 1• .1.. us- 

... • '1lIIIIIM'd black-.nd-whit. 11 ..... tlClft pictur. 

..... TIle pUot .y ".ry tt. .peed of tt. ea.... 

• --.1...eGalpe 

.... "UI'" i•• uff icieat f. tM ca.r. to pro- 

••• I' to .. fr •• s a •• cond, b, ...... t knob. 

... t•• for .t_"'rlc: conditions 

• , .,. ..1•• control. '0r brllht, ha., .nd dull 

........... i.h lb.. ill 'Ulht. But tbe 

.... fact.' plct ... if tt. .. tti ... b with- 

', i".I.nt of •• top half of the 

......... 'U... Like_t .ri.1 c...... , the 

, i. at in'ini')", .nd the c..era i•• quipped 

e foot ... ''''iea'or. 

a... .., ..... tad 

...... lee Is .0 deallDld t"t the optical .y.- 

.......... ,Iw I_ilhl in .ach Ir__ ~b.... - 

-.. - ,-..... 

plac.d with •• t ... ilht lena .rr.nce .. nt to I.t 

ordinal" pictur •• without the lun.ilht, if d•• 

sired. Also, pl'cwiaion ie .-de to beat tM I... 

electric.ll, .,ainat the cold of hilh altitud ••• 

OIdl, enouch, if tt. picture show. the .ilht 

dir.ctlyon the t.rl.t, the .hot is uauaJI, • 

cl.an .i... It ie cl .... indication to t" in- 

.tructor thet the .tudent he. not ta.n .ull ic i.nt 

"lead" in .1a1nc hie I_ .t.ad of t .. _1It- ... &.. 

adver.ary plane. Only whenthe .tt.cker i. directly 

on the t.ll of the t.rlet, or whenthe two 

pla.. s .1'. flyine directly tow.rd .ach othe.., 11 

.uch .n .ia CGOd for a hit. In aft7 other f 11lht 

_neuver it is nec.... ry for tt. lunner to I.ad 

his tarl.t, _Unc aUowane•• for tM diatanee bat... 

n the two pl.... , tt. .peed at which h18 .hip 

is tr.".Unc .nd the .peed of tt. advers.ry pl..... 

And it 1a in the .... ur•• nt of tt. lead which tt. 

cunner tak•• , which ciYes the new .qui~nt an 

important ad"antal •• 

Each fra.. of f 11. has four indic•• rks .iclwa, 

on the side., the top and the bottC181of the fra ... 

The call1lr. ia adjusted before t•• off .0 ta.t tlw 

silht, .n .1.cU ic.ll, lllhted two barred cro... 

coincid •• with the •• indic. _rka on the Uut 

ha. of f U.. S, th18 .rr ...... nt, if tlw dahl 

.how. the .i.to b. • c.rtain di.tane. ..... 01 

the nos. of the tarl.t, actuall, tt. lUll. of t'- 

.ttacki ... pl... would be pour i... a .tra •• 0' I.ad 

into tt. opponent. 

CanDetar... 

Bit. 

The de .. lopeclfillll 18 pl'ojeetad on ••• 11 "iewer 

scr •• n, .quipped with. ail seal. of fine 

ahadow 11ne•• round the edl •• , .0 that the in- 

.tructor can "i .. the fra .. critieall~, .... UI'i.. 

tt. UIOUIItof lead t.ken by the 1......1', .nd .ith 

theknalm f.ct. of the .peed of both pl..... c•• 

d.t.r.i .. whether tlw h.. should be .cored ••• 

hit • 

Aft.rtbe instructor .cor •• e.h .trip of fila, 

he can call in the pilot who'" it, .nd point 

out his error.. Prequentl)" tlw " .. is ...... to • 

croup of pilot. in the cla •• roC181on • 1.1'1." 

screen, also .quipped with tlw aU seal., so t_t 

tt. whole .roup c.n ba.. , it fl'. tlw di.cUld .. 01 

hit •• nd al••••• 

As •• 1IIp1••• na of Wentif,i .... h 'lJa .ith 

the pllot ..... hot it, tlw Wrilht Pi.1d .1'_-' 

braneh tee_.ela t" that each . 

• ina b. pl.c.d in c•• r., b, tM 

(C_, , r.,. ~.) 

D

Air Forees Seareh 

Oeean Flight Ended In Newfoundland 

A 

five-man party from the Forty-first Reconnaissance 

Squadron, stationed at the Newfoundland 

Air Base, last month located and 

searched the wreckage of civilian flyer Tom 

Smith's Aeronca -Baby Clipper- which crashed in 

t he rocky wastes of Newfoundland more than two 

and a half years ago. 

Smith, a pilot from Clarksburg, W. Va. " was 

headed for London when he took off from Old Orchard 

Beach, Me., on May 28, 1939. He was never 

heard from again, and, until recently his fate was 

not known. Then the wreckage of his Baht plane 

was sighted by an aircraft of the Royal Canadian 

Air Force. Search of the site was ordered accomplished 

by personnel of the Newfowdland Base Command. 

Flying an 0A-9. Lieuts. P.A. Sykes, pilot; R.W. 

Boggs, co-pilot; J.H. Shaw, navigator, and F, R, 

Amend, observer, and Cpl. R.H. Hubsch, engineer, 

set out to locate the plane, reported at approximately 

47 0 47' Latitude aOO 57 0 38' Longitwe. 

Wreck On Barren Ridge 

The search party found the wreck atop a rocky 

ridge about 15 mi les north of the south-coast NewfouOOland 

town of Burgeo, and three miles east of 

a mountain stream named Grandy.Brook. The terrain 

was described as mountainous, rocky aOO barren and 

with very few trees. 

Landing on a small lake at the foot of the 

ridge, the men anchored the

THE AIR 

FORCES NEWS 

LETTER 

A 

, ted but is 

rk ' a mystery to the runinitla Ie oeed staff 0ffi- 

RMY paper wo IScrystal to t he expe 

, 

clear as '11 ar ise In 

j~t •• _ n, that., _ dnee 

r s , to c Lar i' f y many _ sitneed uat 10 off rce , rs, now bbeeIngn nomfn 

or de r rnexpe r Ie _ f he r e has a r y 

inds of young, iv e f unc t 

tho mr - 

Lons , lanatory gloss 

t r a t iv ing exp nneadm 

in.i 1 hs Field t he f o Ll owi tered In , rm'litary co 

tailed to 

piled a t Rando pfrequent 

ly encoun 

h aseology " 

of p r diSCUSSIons, 

spo ndence am 

PHRA SEOLOOY 

EXPLANATION 

Under 

c ons i'deration: 

Never 

heard of it, 

Unde r 

active 

cons rid 

e ration: 

Will 

the 

have 

file. 

a 

shot 

at 

finding 

Has recelV, ed careful consideration: 

A per iod 0f inact IV1 , it y cover- 

Ing , time lag. 

Have . you any 

remarks? 

Can you g ive me, 

any 

it IS , a 11 about, 

idea 

what 

In the air: 

Complete~y :' g nor a nt 

whole sub j ec , 

of 

the 

You 

will 

remenber: 

forgotten or 

You have don't. 

knew, because I 

never 

Transmitte 

d to 

you: 

hoI d 1i n g the bag 

You try . d of it. 

awhIle- 

' -I'm t Ir e 

Concur 

generally: 

Iilve no tread 

and don't want 

anyt hing 1 I say, 

the docu ment 

to be bound by 

In 

conferenc 

Gone 

is. 

out--don't 

know where 

he 

Kindly ex pedite reply: 

For 

the 

God's sa ke 

try a nd find 

papers. 

Passed 

to 

higher au t hor it y: 

Pigeon-holed 

t uous 

off ice. 

a more sumpin 

In 

abeyance: 

A state 0 f grace 

grace f u 1 state. 

for 

a dis- 

Appropr 

late . action: 

Do you know what 

it? We 

don't. 

to do with 

Giv ing him t he Picture: 

and inaccuconfusingt 

to a newcomer. 

Lcng, 

rate statemen

"E" Awards at Langley 

Engineering Maintenance Efficien.-""""""" 

LMOST unprecedented records were set by 

A heavier-than-air units operating at Langley 

Field recently, as the results of an efficiency 

contest instituted by Brig. Gen. Arnold N. Krogstad, 

commending general of the First Bomber Command, 

First Air Force. 

General Krogstad's contest involved gIvIng recognition 

at weekly ceremonies to the day and night 

crews of the airplanes flying the greatest number 

of hours during the preceding week, and it was the 

start of an idea that could be of benefit to other 

aviation units. 

The Contest cons isted of presentat ions, to men 

of the crews whose work made possible the mechanical 

condition of the winning planes, of efficiency 

"E's," pinned by General Krogstad on the 

grease-stained coveralls of the winning squadron 

mechanics. A large "E," about a foot square, became 

the mark of dis~inction for the winning ship 

for the following we~k, and the squadron itself 

was awarded a banner reading "Excellence in Engineering 

Maintenance." An added inducement was 

offered when winning crew meobers were allowed to 

enter, admission free, the post theater for the 

time that their plane ranked the others at Langley 

Field. 

Flying Records Set 

Rivalry among the different squadrons berthed at 

Langley Field during the duration of the contest 

resulted in'setting of some unprecedented flying 

records. General Krogstad, in commenting upon the 

contest, said: "This is a source of gratification 

and pleasure, since it indicates very commendable 

efforts on the part of the maintenance crews, flying 

prews and supervisory officers." 

Presentation of awards, made each Saturday 

morning at impressive ceremonies in front of the 

winning squadron's hangar, were attended by not 

only the squadron personnel, but by officers and 

enlisted men from the large air base at Langley 

Field. The plane was given a thorough inspection 

by the post technical inspector. 

Wide publicity, with photographs of the winning 

ship, officers and men, was given locally and in 

nation-wide publications. Individual stories, 

plblished in the home-town newspapers of the winning 

crew meobers, was another honor which tended 

to put every man in every squadron on his toes. 

Hours flown by the different planes during the 

five weeks of the contest ranged from 60 hours and 

20 minutes to the almost unprecedented time 0 f 

10~ hours for a week's flying time. lhe variance 

in hours was accounted for by the inclemency of 

the weather. 

All planes competing in the contest were B-18A 

bombers. Winning units were the Eighteenth Reconnaissance 

Squadron; Headquarters and Headquarters 

Squadron, Twenty-second Boobardment Group, winners 

twice during the contest; Second Bombardment 

Squadron of the Twenty-second Boobardment Group 

and the Nineteenth Boobardment Squadron, also of 

the Twenty-second Boobardment Group. 

SECURITY POSTERS DESIRED 

ARTISTS in and out of The Army Air Forces are 

asked to submit posters, similar to those being 

run on the inside of the back cover of the 

News Letter, pointing out the danger to national 

security of careless talk on military matters. 

Most of those which have been run already were 

prepared by a British Artist and were aimed primarily 

at a British audience. It is felt in Washington 

that the posters, which are to be distributed 

throughout The Army Air Forces, will be more 

effective if they are prepared by artists fa~iliar 

with The Army Air Forces and if they are a imed at 

an Amer ican audience. 

Mr. Richard Q. Yardley, the well-known cartoonist 

for the Baltimore Sun and many magazines, has 

contributed a series prepared especially for The 

Army Air Forces, the first of which was run 

in the last issue. Other famous artists have been 

asked to contribute similar posters. 

There are many equally well-qualified artists in 

The Army Air Forces. They are invited to contr ibute 

posters, which should be drawn on regular mat 

board and mailed to The Air Forces News Letter, 

It!adquartersArmy Air Forces, Washington, D.C. 

The posters may be serious or humorous, in black 

~nd white or in color. The only requirement is 

that they emphasize the danger to The Army Air 

Forces and the security of the United States of 

carelessness in discussing matters which should be 

treated as confidential, or anything else which 

could be of value to potential enemies. 

• 

The Navy recently awarded contracts for 21 

blimps. 

• 

Stepping up of the pilot-.raining rate to 30,009 

per year has increased the annual training rate of 

Air Corps pilots approximately 10,000 percent in 

the past four years. 

22 

NOVEMBER 

f94f

DISCIPLINE, in general, is the willing obedience 

to all orders and instructions, and in 

the absence of orders and instructions, the decision 

to follow a line of action one believes the 

orders and instructions would have required. 

Discipline implies promptness and dependability. 

There exists among many an attitude of mind which 

makes for self-discipline, but in the case of 

large groups, one cannot depend upon it. The individuals 

must be trained, and the more complicated 

and hazardous the action required, the 

greater necessity there exists for training. 

Training leads to correct habit formations, which 

in turn, develop self-confidence, and discipline 

is then more apt to become manifest. 

Flight Discipline may be described as a state of 

mind which has resulted from a willing and wholehearted 

obedience to all orders and instructions 

affecting conduct preliminary to and during 

flight, in order that lives may be saved and tasks 

performed. 

OKygen Discipline has become an important part 

of Flight Discipline. 

Recent advances in aeronautical and power plant 

engineering have increased the ceiling of aircraft 

to heights, which require most exact methods in 

delivering oxygen to individuals in an airplane in 

order that full advantage may be taken of such 

high altitude equipment. 

Training In Use Of Olygen 

The use of modern oxygen equipment, including 

the individual accessory emergency oxygen unit, in 

routine flights and in emergencies requires the 

training of all individuals prior to the time such 

flights are required and prior to the occurrence 

of the emergencies. 

Only crew members who have demonstrated their 

ability to use proper ly oxygen equipment should be 

selected to perform high altitude missions. These 

men must also appreciate that it is mandatory to 

examine the oxygen equipment prior to flight and 

assure t be ese Ives that it is functioning properly. 

The crew must also be thoroughly convinced as to 

the importance of following the detailed instructions 

governing the use of oxygen and allow no interference 

to its continuous use until safe altitudes 

are reached. When they have developed that 

frame of mind, Oxygen Discipline has been attained. 

Par. 1 a Technical Order No. 03 -50-1 W .D. Office 

of the Chief of Air Corps, dated April IS, 1939, 

states, "Except in urgent, unforeseen emergencies 

all personnel will use oxygen at all times while 

participating in flight above 15,000 feet. Oxygen 

will also be used when remaining at an altitude 

below 15,000 feet but in excess of 12,000 feet for 

periods of two hours or longer duration and when 

participating in flight below 12,000 feet but at 

or in excess of 10,000 feet for periods of six 

hours or longer durat ion." 

Death At High Altitudes 

The limit of - unimpaired" performance without 

oxygen is 10;000 to 11,000 feet. Sudden deprivation 

of oxygen above 23,000 feet will result in 

mental deterioration, unconsciousness and death, 

the time required depending on the altitude at 

which the interruption of the oxygen flow occurs. 

The margin of safety is so narrow at extreme altitudes 

that the failure of complying with instructions 

relative to the use of oxygen for so 

short a time as 35 seconds at 35,000 feet will result 

in unconsciousness. 

The commanding officer of Air Corps troops is 

responsible for the oxygen discipline of the command, 

and under him the senior flight surgeon of 

the unit is responsible for the instruction and 

training of flight personnel in the limits and use 

of oxygen equipment. The several commanders are 

responsible that oxygen equipment is used in accordance 

with existing instructions and principles. 

"Unimpe. ired" 

Per forlllloceSought 

The training of crew members will provide 

familiarity with the general subject and oxygen 

equipment,and the requirements therefor, and will 

resul't in their ability to properly protect themselves 

from exposures to high altitude and so accomplish 

their tasks. The object to attain is 

"unimpaired" perf ormance . 

Training consists of lectures which include 

measures that can be taken by individuals before 

and during flight to insure an unimpaired performance; 

demonstrations such as movies, etc. and 

exper ience in so-called "low pressure chambers." 

It is anticipated that in time low pressure chambers 

will be more generally available for the purpose 

of training personnel in the use of altitude 

oxygen equipment. 

Altitudes can be assimilated in these chambers 

and personne 1 can be trained in and exper ience a 1- 

titude conditions and in the use of life saving 

NOVEMBJ

accessory emergency unit (emergency ration of oxygen) 

at extremely high altitudes under controlled, 

safe conditions, until confidence in their equipment 

and self ore liance in the use of itean be 

developed. 

Low Preuure Chaaber Used 

Training in the low pressure chamber is divided 

into elementary and advanced. Elementary training 

might be conducted at the Pilot Replacement Centers 

as part of their indoctrination and would include 

experience in preventing "earblock," determination 

of "anoxic level," and in the use of altitude 

oxygen equipment. Advance training, available 

to crew members for service flying, would inelude 

training in prophylactic "decompress ion," 

experience in altitude between 30,000 and 40,000 

feet and the use of the life saving accessory 

~mergency oxygen unit. 

Lack of oxygen discipline is the result of dissemination 

of false and unscientific information 

relative to the need of oxygen during flight at 

seemingly low altitudes and absence of instruction 

and training in flight or altitude prophylaxis. 

There is no doubt but that in recent months experienced 

pilots have become oxygen conscious. 

The time is ri~ to develop discipline in its use 

to the nov ice. 

BY LIEUT:. COL. READ B. HARD INS 

'LIGITI' SURGEON. KELLY FlEW 

• 

Colonel David N.W. GranL, Chief of the Air Corps 

~ical Division, has been named to fill the newly 

created position of The Air Surgeon. 

In his new position Colonel Grant will serve as 

a member of the Air Staff, where his function will 

be to coordinate the medical activities of The 

Army Air Forces. He will also retain his post as 

Chief of the Medical Division, Office of the Chief 

of the Air Corps. 

The new Air Surgeon is a graduate of the Army 

Medical School, the School of Aviation Medicine at 

Randolph Field, the Air Corps Tactical School and 

the Chemical Warfare School. He has been on duty 

in Washin~ton since OCtober I, 1939. 

• 

The Flight Surgeon must be a man of vision and 

ambition, a before and after dinner guzzler, a 

night owl; work all day and all night and appear 

fresh the next day. 

He must be a man's man, a ladies' man, a model 

huaOand, a plutocrat, a technocrat, a Republican, 

• New Dealer, an Old Dealer, and a Fast Dealer, a 

technician, electrician, politician, a mathematicia". 

machinist and ambidextrous. 

HelllUstbe a promotion expert, create a demand 

for his services, be a good correspondent, attend 

all meetings, tournaments, funerals and births, 

visit fliers in hospitals and jails once a week 

.and in his spare time do missionary w.lt. 

He must be 2S years of age or over, married. 

single or divorced, with unli~ted endurance and 

frequent overindulgence in wine, wind and gab; 

must have a wide range of telephone numbers in all 

principal cities and villages for cross-country 

purposes. 

He must have an attractive home (a tent will 

do), belong to all clubs, pay all expenses at home 

and on cross-countries on one-third of what his 

associates have, payable when Congress chooses to 

give it to him. 

He must be an expert talker, liar, dancer, 

traveller, bridge player, pokpr hound, toreador, 

golfer, diplomat, financier and philanthropist; 

an authority on palmistry, chemistry, archaeology, 

psychology, physiology, neurology, meteorology, 

criminology, dogs, cats, horses, blonges, brunettes 

and red heads. 

And fur the rmor e the prac tice of med icine is 

prohibited. 

(Note: This is the Medical Division's own version) 

BRITISH ... (Cont i n ue d From Page 9) 

of Aeronautics, located at Tuscaloosa, Alabama; 

Darr Aero Tech, at Albany, Georgia; Graham 

Aviation Company, Americus, Georgia; and the 

Southern Aviation School, at Camden, South Carolina. 

Stearman PT-17's are used at all the primery 

schools. 

Basic Training of the British is carried on at 

Cochran Field, Macon, Georgia, and Gunter Field, 

Montgomery, Alabama. Both are run directly by the 

Army. Cochran is another brand new field, construction 

having begun last April. Actual flying 

from the field began on June 4--three days ahead 

of schedule. The British cadets arrived August 

17. Lieut. Col, D. D. Fitzgerald, Commanding Officer 

of Cochran Field, ha s found teaching the 

British to be "an enjoyable expe rrence , and helpful 

to both the cadets and ourselves," Training 

planes used at the basic schools are BT-13's. 

Return Heme In Ear ly 1942 

Aircraftsmen receive advanced training from Air 

Corps instructors at Craig Field, Selme, Alabama, 

which is a single-engine school; and at Turner 

Field, Albany, Georgia, a twin-engine school. 

Turner, another new School, will have a capacity 

of about 800 pilot cadets--all British--when it is 

in rull operation. Also located at tne t1eld 1~ d 

navigation school, where American navigators are 

trained. 

No cadets so far have graduated from advancea 

schools. It is expected that the first contingent 

will complete the course and return to England 

early in 1942. Once there they will be given further 

operational training with tactical units before 

being assigned to actual combat. 

NOVEMBER 

f94f

, 

DEVEI.OPPt£NI' of a control to reduce the mmber of 

levers normally used by the pilot has reached the 

flight test stage. While designed primarily for 

the single seat type of plane, its applicat ion in 

the larger planes is anticipated. 

In the operation of an airplane equipped with an 

exhaust gas turbine-driven supercharger, the pilot 

now has four controls for the power plant--the 

throttle, the supercharger, the propeller and the 

mixture. Engine failures, due to excessive manifold 

pressures, can be caused by the pilot leaving 

the propeller control set for a low r.p.m. and 

opening the throttle. This builds up the brake 

mean effective pressure in the cylinder to a point 

that may cause either a head failure, a rod failure, 

or both. The same result would be obtained 

if the supercharger control were pushed to the 

full "on" position with the propeller set for a 

low r s p.m. 

Three Controls Linked 

In order to prevent these excessive manifold 

pressures, a linkage has been devised, by means of 

which the supercharger, thrott Ie and propeller are 

coupled together. When the throttle lever is 

pushed forward or pulled back, the supercharger 

and propeller controls go with it. Thumb latches 

are provided on the control knobs so that the 

three levers can be operated individually, but 

when the throttle lever passes these levers, they 

re-engage and move with the throttle lever until 

again manually disconnected. 

In this way the manifold pressure is gradually 

built up to a safe maximum when the engine is operating 

at a high r.p.m. While this combination 

does not give the ideal relationship of the three 

controls throughout the range of operation, it 

does give a workable combination for the average 

pilot. It also relieves the pilot of the operation 

of two controls under combat conditions and 

allows him to concentrate his attention on the 

enemy aircraft or on the other planes in his own 

formation. In the case of long.range cruising it 

still allows the pilot to make close adjustment of 

the individual controls to obtain better cruising 

cond it ions. 

Foreign Designers Unsuccessful 

ForeIgn de s Igue rs have made attempts to build 

automatic boost controls, but so far these ace effective 

for a limited altitude range only. The 

turbine supercharger, when set for any given altitude, 

produces a very slight increase in manifold 

NOT/EMBER J94/ 

pressure as the altitude is increased. 

The inherent characteristics of the power plant 

made this control practical and it is expected 

that further refinements will follow with further 

tests on the experimental model. While it is impossible 

to know at the present time just when 

this combination control will be ready for delivery 

to the service activities, it is a trend of 

development concerning which it was considered 

they would be highly interested in receiving information. 

• 

Randolph Field is utilizing a simple method, devised 

by the Air Corps Materiel Division, for promoting 

accuracy landings during night flying. On 

the expansive landing field, 10,000 feet long and 

3500 feet wide, a landing strip, 3200 feet long 

and 400 feet wide, is set apart and marked off by 

a row of eight equally spaced lights on each edge. 

Green lights indicate the start of this improvised 

runway and amber lights denote the end. Red obstacle 

lights may be placed as much as 1000 feet 

beyond the landing strip itself - if needed. 

Mounted on a conical base two feet high, the 

lights are shielded by a specially designed hood 

soas to make them barely visible, the illumination 

being concentrated on the landing strip. 

Power for the portable lighting system comes from 

an air -cooled gasoline engine, just about the size 

of an outboard motor for a row boat. Within forty 

minutes the lights can be strung out along the 

ground, the miniature power plant cranked up, and 

everything is in readiness for night flying to get 

under way. It only requires about ten minutes for 

a three-man crew to dismantle the lighting system 

and load the equipment into a pick-up truck. 

Field "Too Big" 

Officers of the Basic Flying School declare that 

Randolph Field is too big for the 700 aviation cadets 

in training there to obtain any appreciable 

practice out of their night landings, pointing out 

that they can "cut the throttle" almost at will, 

e st ab li.s h a glide, and feel sure they will make the 

2300-acre field. They believe these future pilots 

should not be permitted to grow careless in their 

accuracy landings at night, since they must buckle 

down to accurate landings at night just as soon as 

they are assigned to bomber or fighter squadrons. 

As for the cadets, they are unanimous in their 

praise of the portable lighting system, claiming 

that it is even easier to land on the strip than 

in the glare of the floodlights with the whole f lying 

fie ld ava ilab Ie ,

NOVEMBER 

F941 

Further Expansion Underway 

EIGHTY.FOUR GROUPS FOR 

N t0l 

t/' 

E AIR FORCES 

To keep pace with the ex paris ion of personnel and 

materiel of The ArmyAir Forces unde r the national 

defense program, it has become necessary to expand 

the 54-Group program to provide for a total of 84 

conbat groups as the next goal for the development 

of the army's air defense forces. 

Although the establishment of a 54-Group or an 

84-Group program does not imply in any wayan ultimate 

ceiling for expansion, it had become evident 

that the framework provided by the earlier 

54-Group program was entirely inadequate to house 

the exparv::lingair strength of The Army Air Forces. 

The 54-Group program, first announced in March, 

1941, is being exparv::ledapproximately 50 per cent. 

to provide for an orderly and rapid continuation 

of growth of all essential elements of the army's 

air organization. 

The enlarged program contemplates an increase in 

non-commissioned personnel of The Army Air Forces 

to a grand total of more than 400,000 aviation 

cadets and enlisted men by the end of the current 

fiscal year~ June 30, 1942. Subsequent increases 

in personnel strength, perhaps to the 600,000 

level, is possible beyorv::lthat date. 

Adoption of the 84-Group program does not involve 

any change in the organization of The Army 

Air Forces, now in process of detailed organization 

urv::lerthe leadership of Major General Arnold, 

Chief of The Army Air Forces and Deputy Chief of 

Staff. The two major components of The Army Air 

Forces, the Air Corps and the Air Force Combat 

Commarv::l,will remain urv::listurbedby the expansion. 

Will Go To Conbat COIllll8rv::1 

The new tactical groups are to be assigned to 

the Air Force Combat Command for operational 

training, while the Air Corps will continue in 

charge of the irv::lividualtrainirig of pilots and 

technicians, in addition to its supply, procurement 

and maintenance duties. 

Attainment of the objectives of the 84-Group 

program will involve considerable expansion of recruiting 

and training activities. The 54-Group 

plan contemplated an expansion of The Army Air 

Forces to 16,800 officers, 187,000 enlisted men 

(including enlisted men assigned from other arms 

arv::l services), arv::l15,000 flying cadets. The rate 

of output of the training schools of the Air Corps 

was placed at 12,000 pilots arv::l 48,000 technicians 

per year initially to meet requirements of the 54- 

Group program. Subsequently, however, it became 

necessary to increase the goal of the training 

program to 30,000 pilots and 100,000 technicians 

per year. 

Under the 30,000 pilot training program, three 

Air Corps Training Centers supervise the activities 

of 41 civilian schools giving 10 weeks of 

elementary training; 15 military basic flying 

schools and three civilian schools giving basic 

training; arv::l 21 advanced military flight training 

schools, seven of which are single-engine flying 

schools, and 14 two-engine flying schools. There 

are three flexible gunnery military schools, one 

civil navigation school and three replacement 

training centers (pilot, bombardier and navigator). 

There are three navigator schools arv::lsix 

bonbardier schools. Technical training of enlisted 

specialists is conducted in 19 other schools 

arv::lthree replacement training centers. 

Expansion to 400,000 

By way of comparison with the enlarged program, 

which contemplates a total of more than 400,000 

enlisted men, it is intere8ting to note that on 

June 30, 1940, Army Air Corps personnel included 

3,397 Regular Army and Reserve officers, 1,894 

flying cadets and 45,914 enlisted men. At that 

time there were 16 skeleton groups and wings and 

the definite goal for expansion was 54 combat 

groups ~omposed of all types of airplanes. 

On June 30, 1941, t~ strength was 10,697 Regular 

Army arv::l Reserve officers, 8,707 flying cadets 

and 126,666 enlisted men. 

On December 18, 1940, four air district headquarters 

were activated, together with 14 additional 

wing headquarters, to provide the overhead 

to care for the assignment of all personnel and 

planes in the 54-Group program. Other groups were 

ordered into being January 15, 1941, and were 

formed from existing Regular Army units. By that 

time, the Army Air Corps had been expanded to approximately 

6,180 officers, 7,000 flying cadets 

and 83,000 enlisted men. 

The air districts now have become air forces, 

in a step intended further to expedite the growth 

and training of The Army Air Forces. 

This was followed June 22, 1941, by the War Department 

by the unification of its air activities 

in the present organization, The Army Air Forces. 

(Contl"ued on P.,. 30)

~ MfPUIt, /UI(., I~ 

BrFa1llH~ 

Contract. For Airplanes attached to the Third Armored Division at Camp 

Polk, La., but will remain assigned to the Fifth 

Air Support Conmand, with headquarters at Bowman 

Field, Ky. 

The Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich., which 

has been producing Pratt & Whitney engines under 

license of the United Aircraft Corporation, Pratt 

& Whitney Div is ion, was awarded a contract by the 

War Department totalling $182,955,559.02 for the 

manufacture of this type of engine, together with 

spare parts therefor. 

The Republic Aviation Corporation, Farmingdale, 

L.I., New York, received a contract from the War 

Department in the amount of $64,404,036.50 covering 

a irplanes am spare parts. 

Orders for additional Wright Aeronautical engines 

were placed by the War Department with the 

Studebaker Corp., of South Bend, Ind., totalling 

$74,338,783. These engines will be manufactured 

in plants constructed under Emergency Plant Facility 

contracts and under license of the Wright 

Aeronaut ical Corp. 

Chana.s Of Station 

Scheduled for transfer to Ellington Field, 

Texas, from Brooks Field, Texas, are the Fiftyninth 

am Seventy-seventh School Squadrons. Their 

strength of 150 men each will be brought up to 200 

men each with the transfer of recruits from Ellington 

Fie ld. 

Upon completion of the five new schools in the 

Southeast Air Corps Training Center unde r the 30,- 

000 pilot training program, a total of 45 units 

will be transferred to them from other stations in 

this center. Five Air Base Groups, each comprising 

a Hqrs. am. Hqrs. Squadron, an Air Base Squadron 

and a Materiel Squadron, and 30 School Squadrons 

will be involved in this transfer. Maxwell 

Field will send eight units each to Greenville, 

Miss., am Moultrie, Ga. Eight units will go from 

Selma, Ala •• to Dothan, Ala.; 12 from Alban.y:,Ga., 

to Valdosta, Ga., am nine from Barksdale Field, 

La., to Co luabus , Miss. 

Three Air Base Groups, the Thirty-seventh, the 

Forty-fourth and the Ninety-first, were assigned, 

respectively, to the Fourth, Second am First Air 

Force Service Commands, am to be stationed, in 

the order given, at 'Oklahoma City, Okla.; ftl::Chord 

Field, Wash., am Mitchel Field, N.Y. 

Orders were issued for the transfer of the Hqrs. 

and Hqrs. Squadron, Second Air Support CODlllBnd, 

am the 326th Signal Company, Air Wing, from Fort 

Douglas, Utah, to Oklahoma City, Okla., and the 

Hqrs. and Hqrs. Squadron, Fourth Air Support Command, 

from Fresno, Calif., to Hamilton Field, 

Calif. 

The Twenty-second Observation Squadron has been 

New Units And Stat ions 

Recently called to active duty were the Hqrs. 

am Hqrs. Squadrons of the First, Second, Third 

am Fourth Air Force Service Commands, with respect 

ive permanent stat ions at Winds or Locks, 

Conn.; Fort George Wright, Wash.; Drew Field, 

Fla., am March Field, Calif. These units were 

organized at Westover Fie ld, Mass.; Port lam, Oregon; 

Savannah, Ga., and March Field, Calif., respectively, 

am the source of the personnel therefor 

were, in the order named, the Hqrs. am Hqrs. 

Squadrons of the Fourth Bombardme~t, Eleventh, 

Twenty-second am Ninth Pursuit Wings at Westover 

Field, Mass.; Port lam , Oregon; Savannah, Ga., and 

March Field, Calif., respectively. Thirty-four 

Air Base Groups were assigned to these four Air 

Force Service Commands, nine to the First, seven 

to the Second , twelve to the Third and six to the 

Fourth. These CODlllBndSwere ass igned to the numerically 

cor respond Ing Air Force. 

Supplementing the Replacement Centers at Maxwell 

Field, Ala.; Kelly Field, Texas, and Moffett 

Field, Calif., three additional Air Corps Replacement 

Centers were created, their locations being 

Ellington am Sheppard Fie Ids in Texas, and 'Kess- 

1er Field, Miss. New titles were conferred upon 

these Centers, the two last named, which are under 

the immediate jurisdiction of the CODlllBming General 

of the Air Corps Technical Training Commend, 

being designated "Air Corps Replacement Training 

Center (Technician)," and the other four, under 

the immediate jurisdiction of the commending generals 

of the Air Corps Training Centers in which 

they are located, being designated "Air Corps Replacement 

Training Center (Aircrew)." 

With the completion of additional buildings at 

Scott Field, Ill., the necessary .facilities were 

prov ided to permit the opening of a see ond school 

for the instruction of enlisted men as radio operators 

and mechanics, thus doubling the present 

student capacity. 

Umer a new schedule inaugurated on November 2, 

new students will arrive at the rate of 400 every 

week instead of every two weeks. The assignment 

of the new groups of 400 students arriving weekly 

will alternate between Radio Schools Nos. 1 and 2, 

am at the em of the st andard 22 weeks' course of 

instruction, on or about March 1, next, the full 

quota of 4,400 new students will have been 

reached. 

(OYer) 

NOVEMBER /94/ 27


Decorations 

Gallantry in action against the enemy and heroic 

conduct in saving the lives of others led the War 

Department to confer decorat ions upon two officers 

and two enlisted men connected with the Air Corps. 

Captain Elmer G. Rhenstrom, Air Reserve, now on 

extended active duty at Scott Field, Ill., was 

awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action 

dur ing the Wor ld War. At that time a second lieutenant 

and a member of the Ninety-fifth Aero 

Squadron, First Pursuit Group, he was engaged on a 

special mission when he was attacked by three enemy 

a irmen. Single-handed he "'lCceeded in destroying 

one of the planes and later accomplished his 

mission of strafing and killing enemy horses drawing 

heavy artillery in retrp~t, thus delaying 

t~eir progress and leading to their capture by 

ground forces. 

Captain John M. Talbot, Medical Corps, Flight 

Surgeon; Pvt. 1st CI. Peter Schur, 20th Air Base 

Squadron, and Pvt. Mathew L. Pe likan, 35th Pursuit 

Squadron, were awarded the Soldier's Medal. Captain 

Talbot saved an enlisted man from drowning, 

as did Privat Schur, while Pvt. Pelikan rescured a 

woman from a burning houae , 

A passenger in an amphibian plane which went out 

of control, crashed and overturned in a lake, Cap. 

tain Talbot, while inan upside down position, sus 

pended by his safety belt, perceived one ot thf 

crew lying WlConscious below him and in grave dan. 

ger of drowning in the water which was gushing into 

the cabin of the plane. Disregarding his own 

safety, he unfastened his safety belt, reached the 

imperiled enlisted man and succeeded in bringing 

him to the surface of the water. Although suffering 

from the inmersion and shock, he next claobered 

about the plane, which was in imminent danger 

of sinking, and administered first aid to other 

.badly wounded crew meobers. 

Pi- ivate Schur, one of the crew of a crash boat 

plying the shark-infested waters of Manila Bay, 

jumped to the rescue of a fellow soldier who fell 

overboard from an Army transport and, being stuned 

by the fall, was in danger of drowning. Bringing 

the helpless soldier to the surface, he was 

assisted to a place of safety. 

Perceiving a woman trapped on the porch roof of 

her burning home and on the verge of jumping to 

the ground to follow her sister, who was injured 

in doing so, Private Pelikan, after cautioning her 

not to jump, cliobed to the roof with great difficulty 

and succeeded in carrying her safely down to 

the ground. In quick succession he rushed both 

women to the hospital. The .injured sister slbsequently 

succumbed to her injuries. 

The Civil Aeronautics Administrat ion announced a 

plan for increased cooperation among the American 

Republics to bring young men from countries below 

the Rio Grande to the United States shortly after 

January 1, 1942, to be tr:a.inedas pilots and aviation 

technicians. The program, sponsored by the 

Interdepartmental Committe!" on Technical 4vi_tion 

Training for Citizens of the Latin American Repb. 

lies, includes courses from six months to two 

years and calls for initial training of 275 pilots, 

18 aeronautical administrative engineers, 87 

instructor merhanics, and 120 airplane service mechanics 

each pledged to advance to a career in 

commercial aviation. Pilot training will be superv 

ised by the Army Air Corps and Civil Aeronautics 

Administration in the Air Corps schools (with 

exception of military subjects) and at approved 

certificated schools. Mechani~a1 training will be 

carried out by the Civil Aeronautics Administration. 

For the purpose or reorganization, the Hqrs. and 

Hars. Squadrons of the Sixth, Eighth, T@nth Pursuit 

and the Twenty-first Bombardment Win~s wer~ 

removed from active service and their personnel 

redistr ibuted by the Chief of the Army Air Forces. 

The equipment of these units was turned over to 

the Hqrs. and Hqrs. Squadrons of the First, Third, 

Second and Fourth Interceptor Commands, respectively. 

Fourteen Pursuit Groups (Interceptor) were assigned 

to these Interceptor Commands, five each to 

the First and Third and two each to the Second and 

Fourth. In addition, a Signal Aircraft Warning 

Company was assigned to the Second, Third and 

Fourth Interceptor Commands, and two such units in 

addition to a Signal Operations Company, Aircraft 

Warning, to the First Interceptor Command. 

Interceptor Groups 

Assigned 

Drew Field, a slb-post. of MacDill Field, Tampa, 

Fla., was recently made an independent station. 

It is now garrisoned by 860 officers and men, but 

it is expected to be expanded in the near future 

to 2,750 officers and men. A cow pasture flying 

f if"ld. a few months ago, the base is now at the 

~If way mark of a $663,700.00 program of runway 

construction, scheduled for completion on December 

15, next. The field will then have more than 300, 

000 square yards of paved runways and fringing 

aprons. 

Of the initial class of 13 Negro students who 

began their primary training at the civilian elementary 

flying school at Tuskegee, Ala., one officer 

and five aviation cadets completed the tenweek 

course of instruction. They will remain at 

Tuskegee to undergo basic and advanced flying 

training, each. of ten weeks' duration, and which 

are conducted by Air Corps instructors. Upon 

their graduation trom the 30 weeks' course, t~y 

will be coomissioned second lieut.enants in the Air 

Corps Reserve and ass igned to the Ninety-ninth 

Pursuit Squadron, which will also be based at Tuskegee. 

Ten Negro aviation cadets constitute the 

new pr imary class at Tuskegee.

WRIGHT FIELD LINKED WITH THE NATION 

Anat ion-w ide te letype network has been 1inked 

wlth a new taOulating system at Wright Field 

to give the Materiel Division an automatic daily 

report on Air Corps supply stores at depots all 

aver the United States. 

Nucleus of the new tabulating system is a battery 

of specially-built card punching machines designed 

to strike daily balances on Air Corps supply 

stores. The machines operate automatically from 

teletype tape bringing in reports from depots. 

Designed especially for the Air Corps, they are 

the first of their kind in the world. 

The new machines do a job which would be 

physically impossible under the old hand filing 

system. They keep tab on all the Air Corps stocks 

of airplane engines, propeller assemblies, airplane 

tires, fuel pumps, landing gear struts and 

the thousands of other items and parts which go to 

IIBke up Army planes and equipment. 

Link Depots With Wr ight Fie ld 

Operated in conjunction with the new machines 

is a teletype network, linking supply depots and 

tactical bases with the Materiel Division. And 

through the new system the Army now gets a daily 

balance on all its equipment, which report 40,000 

changes a day in balances on individual items of 

equipment at individual air bases. 

Biggest advantage of the new system is the fact 

that the balances are received on teletype tape, 

which is fed through the neWlY devised card 

punching machine. This machine automatically records 

each new balance on a card which is then 

filed automatically. Thus the new plan makes it 

possible to correct the record of any depot's 

store of anyone of the 300,000 articles stocked, 

as soon as the balance is changed by shipment to 

or from the depot. 

Prior to establishment of the new setup, the 

Air Corps kept check on its stock by a system of 

machine pos t ing in duplicate of stock record 

cards at stations and depots. Once a year the 

duplicates were sent in to the Materiel Division 

headquarters at Wright Field, where they were 

transcribed to tabulating cards, which in turn 

were used for preparing reports for the supervisors 

for purchasing -and distributing new stock 

as required. The stock record cards were hand 

filed at Wright Field, prior to punching of the 

tabulating cards. 

But the once-a-year balance became out-of-date 

so quickly after it was taken, that it proved to 

be to a large extent useless, except in normal 

peace times when there was no great fluctuation in 

requirements. The rapid pace of present Army Air 

Corps expansion soon proved this system completely 

inadequate. 

With the new system, the Wright Fie Id Budget Office 

receives at the close of each day's business, 

the closing balances on hand of all items in which 

any change has been made during the day, at each 

of the several depots. And from the automatically 

recorded tabulating cards, a report is available 

each day to the supervisors, of the condition of 

the stock of the day before, thus making pass ible 

automatic stock replenishment at the depots as it 

is needed, and e liminat ing much de lay and confusion 

in replenishing stocks which had been largely 

consumed since the last balance was received at 

Wright Field under the former system. 

To illustrate the working of the new system: 

Suppose the Fairfield Air Depot, at Patterson 

Field, Ohio, is asked to send three Allison engines 

to Selfridge Field, Michigan. As soon as 

the shipment is made an operator at Fairfield 

punches a card in a card punch IIBchine showing t~ 

new balance in engines, resulting from this subtraction 

from the Fairfield stock. The card is 

fed into his teletype sending IIBchine, and the receiving 

machine at Wright Field records the same 

punches on a roll of teletype tape. The tape is 

then fed into the new automatic card punching 

nBchine which duplicates the first card punched at 

Fairfield, and automatically files the new balance 

card in its proper place, throwing out the old 

balance card which it replaces. 

Special 

Advantage 

A special advantage of the new system is in the 

ref inement made poss ible by a "borrowing" pract ice 

which has already been in use in the Air Corps for 

years. To carry the engine example further: Suppose 

Fairfield has a shortage of the Allison engines 

desired by Selfridge Field. The Fairfield 

operator teletypes a message to the Budget Office 

headquarters explaining the Selfridge requisition 

and the shortage. A check in the master file at 

Wright Field on the Air Corps stock of engines 

lIBy indicate that Middletown Air Depot, at Middletown, 

Pennsylvania has an adequate stock of these 

engines and can supply them to Selfridge Field. 

The request is relayed from Wright Field to Middletown 

via teletype,and soon transports are flying 

the engines from Middletown to Selfridge 

NOVEMBER f94/ 

29

would have been consumed in filling the original 

order from Fairfield Depot. 

Under the old setup, it would have been necessary 

for the depot needing the engines to check 

individually with other depots, or to have the' 

~intenance Command at Wright Field make such a 

check, whenever such a borrowing was required. 

But now the central office can check its master 

file and see at once where it can get the necessary 

equipment, making it possible to service any 

Army air field in the country, from any of its 

depots, in emergency. 

The new network is also available for communication 

between any office at Wright Field and any of 

the Air Corps fields and depots, and by relay permits 

the various fields to communicate with each 

other. 

An Example 

Suppose Selfridge Field wishes to communicate 

with Hamilton Field, California. The message 

leaves Selfridge Field and comes into Patterson 

Field to be recorded on a relay tape. This is fed 

into another send ing machine and relayed to Wr ight 

Field. By similar process" the message is relayed 

to the Sacramento, California, Air Depot, and 

from that station to Hamilton Field. Since the 

relay message is punched on the tape for each relay, 

the three relays may be made without the operators 

at Patterson, Wright or Sacramento fields 

knowing what the message was. 

Wright Field officials believe that the new 

system's cost is more than compensated for, in the 

savings resulting from the speeding up of the entire 

supply and maintenance service. While no accurate 

estimate can be made of the airplanes that 

were grounded for lack of parts, the time wasted 

as a result of shipping orders issued and subsequently 

cancelled due to lack of stock at a particular 

depot and the inaccurate procurement of 

replenishment stocks as a result of inaccurate 

knowledge of stock on hand under the former system, 

it is apparent that all these were important 

cost items in operating the maintenance and supply 

service. 

But the saving does not stop there. An actual 

net savings is shown in the use of the new system, 

over the former system, despite the cost of the 

new machines and their operators, by eliminating 

the use of billing machines and their operators 

and the laborious hand filing processes of the 

former setup. 

• 

Air Corps officers assigned to the Headquarters 

Army Air Forces or The Air Force Coubat COlllllllnd are 

still officially reKarded as Air Corps, and not Air 

Forces, officers, according to a Headquarters Ar~ 

Air Forces interpretation of recent War Department 

and Air Forces rulings and organizational changes. 

30 

The Army Air Forces, through the Air Force Coubat 

COIIIII8ndand the Air Corps, will direct training, 

both individual and organizational, and the operation 

of all air units in the four air forces in 

the'cont inental United States and in the terr itorial 

and outlying posts of the growing air defense 

system. 

The training program required in connection with 

the 84-Group program would make The Army Air 

Forces one of the world's largest universities for 

applied science, with a total of more than 100 

flying and technical training schools in operation. 

A nuuber of the 84 coubat groups to be created 

as the goal of the new program will be assigned to 

overseas departments. The greater part, however, 

will be assigned to the Air Force Coubat Command. 

Aviation components of the Hawaiian and Panama 

Canal Departments will be organized into depart -- 

ment air forces under command of their respective 

department commanders, to attain the unity of command 

so essential for successful operations. 

Completion of the 84-Group program, with necessary 

airplanes, materiel, personnel, bases and 

equipment, presents a problem worthy of the utmost 

effort, efficiency and coordination. 

C::AMERA••• (Continued 'ro. P.,e Z9) 

instructor, who takes a few frames of pictures of 

the pilot who is to use the film in his plane. 

The daylight-loading magazine is then taken out of 

the hand camera, and loaded into the GSAP camera 

for use. 

Processing Almost AutCllllltic 

Early in the use of gun cameras, it was learned 

that a principal advantage to the trainee was to 

see the results of his training flight as quickly 

as possible after it was made. So Wright Field 

technicians and camera manufacturers have developed 

a very near ly automat ic process ing technique, 

which the armament mechanics without expert photographic 

knowledge can use. Without divulginc the 

details of the processing it may be said that it 

develops the negative reversed as a positive, so 

that it can be used in a projector immediately, 

and that it comes out of the process spooled on a 

reel ready to go into the projector in a very 

short space of time. Thus the student is enabled 

to see his pictures the same day he makes them. 

Deliberately 

Made Heavy 

One gun camera developed at Wright Field in the 

late 1920's was made of very heavy materials, 

simulating as nearly as possible the weight as 

well as the size of the gun it replaced. The 

usual Air Corps search for liKhter metals was 

abandoned, and parts were made of bronze and other 

(Continued on P.,e 32) 

NO PEMBER /91/

Flying Time Counted 

~adets May Get ~AA Training ~redlt 

By Lieut. George D. Daddoek 

THE r~cent change in regulat ions which makes it 

possIble for the Air Corps to credit a qualified 

cadet with a maximum of 30 hours flying time 

for previous flying instruction or experience, 

will not necessarily shorten the cadet's term in 

the elementary phase of instruction. 

What it does do is permit the Air Corps to take 

advantage of flying instruction given to those cadets 

who come to the civil contract schools from 

schools operating under the C.A.A. 's Civilian Pilot 

Training Program, and to permit other cadets 

having previous flying experience to forego at 

least a part of the scheduled elementary training. 

The ground school requirements remain the same, 

however, and every cadet will still be required to 

qualify in these subjects prior to graduation from 

the elementary flying school. 

Thus, any reduction in the time spent in the 

elementary phase will depend upon the individual 

qualifications of each student to forego a part of 

the required 60 hours flying time and the required 

ground school work. 

Supervisors Determine Allowances 

When a Civilian Pilot Training Program graduate 

enters the military training, for example, his 

knowledge and skill will be observed carefully to 

determine whether or not any allowances will be 

made to him. Partial or maximum allowances to be 

made will be at the discretion of the Air Corps 

Supervisor at the school concerned. 

The Air Corps method in advancing aviation cadets 

in five-week classes has been found to be advantageous 

in many respects. Actual flight training 

is but one of the phases of instruction necessary 

to produce a skilled and dependable Air 

Corps pilot. The important grounding in military 

education in general, and the instillation of the 

vital factors of morale and cooperation are among 

the phases which cannot be neglected. 

The move to make it possible to grant partial 

flying time credit was the result of a desire on 

the part of the Air Corps to take advantage of the 

flying training provided by the Government-financed 

CPrP, and thus help to reduce the cost of 

such training to the War Department. 

Graduates of the CPrP have furnished a major 

source of aviation cadets since the beginning of 

the Army Air Corps expansion program. Approximately 

10,000 graduates have been sent to the Army 

NOVEMBER 194/ 

and the Navy for training as military pilots, and 

now, with the change in Au Corps regulat ions, 

both services may allow credit for previous flight 

instruction. The Navy can allow up to 33 hours. 

Furnish Flight Instructors 

One of the most important funct ions of the CPrP, 

as far as the Air Corps is concerned. has been the 

furnishing of flight instructors for the civilian 

contract schools providing the elementary training. 

Air Corps officers have found also that CPrP 

graduates entering as aviation cadets in fewer 

cases fail to qualify for the next higher phase. 

A recent compilation showed that an average of 84 

per cent of the CPrP graduates successfully passed 

the elementary phase of flight instruction, with 

some of the later classes reaching 92 per cent. 

By compar ison it has been shown that approximately 

39 per cent of non-eprp graduates fail during 

the elementary phase of the Air Corps program. 

This good showing by the trainees from the CPI'P 

is credited in part to the fact that the men who 

either cannot be or don't want to be military flyers 

are weeded out before entering the Air Corps 

training. Classes beginning Air Corps instruction 

without previous training still must lose their 

percentage of men not fitted to be military pilots. 

STUDENTS LOSE RATINGS 

ENLISTED men who hold air mechanic ratings and 

who are detailed as students at flying schools 

must fode it the ir rat ings, the Mil itary Personne I 

Division, Office Chief of Air Corps, announces. 

These men will not have opportunities to perform 

the duties of air mechanics at the civilian flying 

schools at which they will get their pilot training. 

In the event such students fail to complete 

the flight course successfully, however, they will 

be considered eligible for re-rating when they return 

to their regular units. 

The division considers that this action will 

work no hardship on air mechanics who may be selected 

for flight training, since they will be on 

full-time flying status while undergoing training. 

The increased income from flying pay will compensate 

for the loss of the extra incOme derived from 

their mechanic's ratings. 

31

£AMEIlA ••• \Continued 'r_ Pa,_ 30) 

weighty metals. The flexible gun.cameras were operated 

by triggers on the spade grips, and were 

provided with regulation machine gun sights. 

Even after the adoption of ~tion picture film. 

the gun cameras were loaded by the old-fashioned 

spool method, hav ing opaque str ips of leader and 

trailer for daylight loading attached to the actual 

film. This method was discarded with development 

of more modern magazine loading, which 

eliminated the laborious threading of the film 

through the camera. 

With the improvement of electric motors for 

camera operation, the gun cameras became electrically 

operated about 1938. As photographic lens 

and films improved, the 16 mm. film was substituted 

for the bulkier and more costly 35 rom. film 

with little sacrifice in clarity of the pictures. 

This too was a factor in making possible the 

switch to the magazine form of camera loading. 

About this time 1; he fixed gun camera changed its 

shape, as the armament des igners dec ided there was 

no point in making it look like a gun since, operated 

by remote control, the gun suggestion was 

valueless to the pilot. The new fixed gun camera 

using the same mechanism as its flexible brother, 

was built into a long cylindrical shape, somewhat 

like that of a boat. 

This camera was the immediate predecessor of the 

GSAP camera which was developed after a comprehensive 

survey of the problem of aerial gunnery 

instruction by Wright fIeld technicians, who discarded 

previous t~pes in their effort to produce 

a new and highly efficient piece of equipment. 

First prepared for fixed mounting, the GSAP 

camera is being adapted for flexible gunnery practice 

also. Here the Air Corps engineers are confronted 

with a new problem, since today's flexible 

gunnery consists in the manipulation of power turrets, 

bristling with two to four heavy caliber 

machine guns, instead of the single, manually operated 

gun of the past. 

Besides dogfight training for individual pilots, 

the gun camera is valuable for other purposes. 

Blind spots on planes to determine how large a 

group of fighters is necessary to attack a single 

large enemy bomber can be discovered, and the 

proper angles of approach for keeping as much as 

possible out of his line of fire. 

Historically, it is believed that the first gun 

cameras were employed by the British and French 

during the world war, about 1915 or 1916. The 

first British gun camera had a film with six exposures, 

which could be divided into 12 frames, 

and each time the camera was fired a cocking operation 

was necessary. The device was developed in 

an effort to solve the training problem of judging 

the distance from the moving base of fire to the 

moving target. The idea was received very skeptically 

by Br itish army off iciala for some time, 

until the training showed results in greatly ;~- 

creased accura~y of fire, according to accounts 

of that time. 

The French camera was a large box type, which 

took a picture about four by five inches, and 

which also had to be cocked after every operation. 

American 

Similar To Britbh 

The first American gun camera, produced by East.- 

man abo~t 1918. was in many respects similar to a 

more advanced British gun camera. These cameras 

were built to reseable the IU8chineguns which they 

simulated, having long barrels and spade grips 

like those which swung the manually operated guns. 

They were powered by spr ing-wound motors and regulation 

guns Ights , They used 35 -nm. mov ie film and 

were equipped with stopwatches. The stopwatches 

were so installed that every time a picture was 

fired the face of the stopwatch showed, recording 

the time. 

This device was added after it was found that 

gun camera dogfights resulted in disputes between 

pilots over who fired the first vital shot, thus 

winning the conbat. The cameras contained a simulation 

of the gun~i6ht, on a glass pla~e in the 

camera barrel, marking off each frame of film into 

quarters. The plate was marked also with concentric 

circles. indicating the variation of the target 

from the center of the sight. Lighting for 

the stopwatch pictures was provided by a system of 

mirrors, reflecting natural light into the stopwatch 

chaaber. By checking the time on the frame 

which showed the first vital shot on each of the 

opponent's films, the priority of claim could 

easily be established. 

Since this basic type gun camera was established, 

there have been numer ous changes and developments. 

American armament technicians soon 

developed, by changing the mount, a gun camera for 

both flexible and fixed gun positions. For fixed 

forward-firing gun cameras, the control was operated 

by a solenoid from a button on the control 

stick, the same system used for forward firing 

guns. The camera was sighted with the machine gun 

sights. 

• 

On the occasion of the thirty-eighth anniversary 

of the first airplane flight by the Wright Brothers 

at Kitty Hawlt, N.C., Professor Richard V. Southwell, 

world-renC'lfnedspecialist in aerodynamics, 

theory of structures and other sciences applied to 

aeronautics, will deliver the .annual Wright Brothers 

Lecture for 1941 at Co1l.IIlbia University, New 

York City, before the Institute of Aeronautical 

Sciences. His sli>jectwill be -New Patbrays in Aeronautical 

Theory." 

The Wright Brothers Lecture is endCllll'ed by a fund 

of $18,000 provided by the late Edmun:f C. Lynch, 

of New York. to honor the melllPryof hi8 brother, 

Vernon Lynch. Since 1937 it haa been an annual 

presentation by the Institute of Aeronautical 

Sciences. 

32 

NOYEMBER 

IfNI

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CAf2£j£S$ TALK 

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News Letter 1941 Jul-Dec - Air Force Historical Studies Office

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